Under the Full Moon
by kaelien
Summary: A young woman cursed seven years ago was forced into a lonely life of isolation, losing all that she had once held dear. But after a chance meeting in the moonlight, her sad story becomes an enchanted tale of romance. Seiya&Usagi.
1. Cursed

Disclaimer: Nope

Notes: And so I decided to give you all a Christmas present this year. Or whatever holiday it is that you celebrate. Happy Christmahanakwanzica. Or however you spell that. I'm not even going to try.

Anyway, I've messed around with the ages in here. Nothing that will make you upset or anything, trust me. I just had to alter some age differences to make this work.

My notes file for this fic... is huge. Hell-this FIC is huge. It's almost finished, in fact. And... for those of you who I sort of know personally and who I talk to, that other thing, it's almost finished, too. Sigh. It's a wonder I have time to fit school, friends, and fic in on my schedule.

Rated for language and violence, thought if the adult content goes up, I'll change the rating to M, like I did in my other fic. But for now it'll just be T, and I don't think it'll get too steamy, at least not for a while. We'll see. I hope you all got what you wanted for the holidays. I know I certainly did, and I would be even happier if you liked this. So go ahead and read, and review as a Christmas present to me!

One last thing; this takes place in the 13th century, sort of around when Robin Hood was supposed to be alive, and the fic is stationed somewhere in Europe. But don't get me wrong, there's no Robin Hood or anything in here, haha. Just giving you a sense of the time period. That's all for now!

Enjoy.

Posted 12/25/06

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**Under the Full Moon**

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Summary: A young woman cursed seven years ago was forced into a lonely life of isolation, losing all that she had once held dear. But after a chance meeting in the moonlight, her sad story becomes an enchanted tale of romance. Seiya/Usagi.

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**Chapter One:** **Cursed**

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It's tough being a princess.

You always have to act proper and be polite, you have to go to balls and parties and to all sorts of places you'd much rather not go to. You're forced to be with people you don't exactly _care_ for, forced to 'enjoy' their 'splendid' company. You have to wear uncomfortable clothes and look pretty for as long as people can see you.

Fortunately, Usagi was not a princess.

She was, however, the princess' best friend.

Princess _Minako _was the one who had to put up with the daily torture, not Usagi. For this, she was thankful. Even if she did envy her best friend just a little. What girl wouldn't?

Usagi Tsukino was a cheery girl of thirteen, and part of the middle class. Naturally, she enjoyed being subject to the royal lifestyle sometimes. She didn't want to be a princess, no. Most certainly not! But it was fun to play dress up with Minako's clothes and pretend she _was _a princess every once in a while.

As they got older, Minako and Usagi saw less and less of each other-mainly because of Minako's growing list of responsibilities. But whenever there was time, they were together. Whenever there was time, they were inseparable.

This was not something that Minako's parents liked. But they knew that Usagi was a genuine friend to Minako with no hidden motives. Thus, they had eventually come to love the girl-it was hard not to. The king and queen now looked at Usagi as if she were their own child, and she was as much of a sister to Minako as any biological one could be.

Minako's parents became even more like Usagi's when tragedy struck her family. When Usagi was only ten years old, her mother fell ill. She was sick for almost an entire year before her body could no longer put up the fight to combat the disease, and she passed away gently in her sleep.

Usagi was nothing less than devastated. She had loved her mother so much; they had shared a strong bond that Usagi had never imagined would break. Usagi's father was a kind man, but hadn't shared the same connection as Usagi had with her mother.

But as the years passed, their relationship changed. They learned to rely upon one another, and became very close. Nothing would ever take the pain away from the loss of her mother, but Usagi's father and Minako helped her get through it.

And so, Usagi lived with her father in a decent house not too far from the castle in which her best friend lived. It was, in fact, just outside the castle grounds. Usagi had become rather well-known throughout the castle staff as Minako's other half, and was allowed to come and go as she pleased. It really was perfect for Usagi; she could go about the castle all she wanted and yet have no responsibilities like any royalty would. She had found family within the castle, making up a little for what she didn't really have.

Usagi was happy that she was allowed inside the castle gates without question, as entry was getting more and more difficult. Security had been upped due to recent attempts on the life of a certain girl.

People had been trying to kill Minako.

It was simple: the queen was no longer able to have children, and Minako was the only heir to the throne. If she were to be eliminated, the throne would be up for grabs after the death of its current rulers. Thus, the little princess had been subject to a very tight guard and limited activities as of late. Even her time with Usagi was cut short to keep the amount of time she spent outside to a minimum. Now was one of the times she was allowed to be outside.

It was October twentieth, in the year 1236.

It would be Minako's fourteenth birthday in two days, and she and Usagi were together. There was going to be a large (yet with a tight guest list) party to celebrate. But when that time rolled around, the princess would be swamped with duties to her guests. And so, the two were enjoying their brief time togther this morning before the ball, in just a couple of nights. Minako only had this time to do what she wanted, which was to be with Usagi.

One common interest the two girls shared was their love for horses. They would frequently visit the ones in the royal stables, and on rare occasions ride them together. Currently, Usagi and Minako were giving their attention to a pretty grey stallion, which Minako was particularly fond of. Both girls knew all of the horses' names, even without looking at the ones written on signs for each horse's stable.

"Usagi, I'm really sorry your father couldn't be around so that you could come to my party with someone..." Usagi shrugged.

"I'll be fine by myself. And It's not like you won't ever have a birthday again, Minako. _And_ there's always my birthday, too! Even though I won't be having a ball..."

"You don't strike me as the ball type, Usa." Usagi only grinned.

"Nah, maybe not! I wouldn't fit in at one anyway." The girls giggled together as they stroked the horse's side. "But I promise that we'll do something, just the two of us, when it's my birthday! It'll be so much fun!"

"Oh, I can't wait! And my own birthday hasn't even happened yet!"

"It isn't going to happen, princess."

The two girls jumped in unison and whirled around to face the new, deeper female voice. "Because what would a party be without the guest of honor?" said she, a tall woman with an evil glint in her eye.

"Wh-who are you?" Usagi said weakly.

"My name is Beryl, but you need not remember it-or at least not you, princess," she said, turning to Minako. "You will have no use for names."

"What are you talking about?" the princess popped in. "Or better yet, why are you here? And how?" she demanded like the royalty she was.

"More things you don't need to know. What you _do _need to know... hmm, I can't really think of anything." Usagi glared at her, immediately disliking the woman. "Might as well get to it, then."

"I think you should leave," Usagi said warily.

"Not until I've done what I came to do. You see, I want this kingdom. And to get it, I have to get rid of you," she said pointing at Minako, who gasped in fright and stepped back.

"You leave Minako alone!" Usagi shouted, stepping in front of her best friend.

"Shut up, you little brat!" With a simple wave of Beryl's hand, Usagi was thrown through the air and into a nearby tree, her pained scream cut short with the collision. Minako shrieked and made to run to her loyal friend, but suddenly froze. "Now, princess, I have no desire to kill you..." Beryl advanced upon Minako, who was looking at the fallen Usagi with wide eyes.

"Minako, get away from her!" Usagi cried, trying to stand.

"Shut up, you!" With another wave, Usagi was sent flying through the air again and crashed into the ground a few feet next to her friend. Beryl then directed her hand to Minako, who seemed to still be totally frozen. "You won't be going anywhere, now."

"You... you _witch! _What did you do to her?" Usagi shrieked, her voice dripping with hatred.

"Nothing compared to what I'm about to do..." She smiled evilly. "Now I don't like killing, nor am I able to perform such spells yet, so I've decided to take a different approach. I see that you like these animals very much..." Beryl nodded her head in the direction of the disturbed horses. "So, instead of death..." Something sparkled in Beryl's eyes as she lifted her hands and pointed them at Minako.

"Minako, run!" When Minako did no such thing, Usagi feebly stood, wobbling the entire way up. She slowly stumbled to her friend, getting closer and closer...

"NO!"

Usagi ran. It was fifteen feet or so between Minako and herself, but she covered the distance in a flash. As the beams of light erupted from Beryl's outstretched palms, Usagi dove in front of her best friend, shielding her from whatever the wicked woman was trying to harm her with. As this all happened, time slowed down. The magic approached young Usagi as Minako broke from her trance and screamed out, and Beryl's eyes opened wide in shock. What had that little girl _done?_

"USAGI!" shrieked Minako as the light struck her friend hard, knocking them both down to the ground. She didn't notice Beryl fleeing at the sounds of approaching guards, attracted by Minako's screams. Usagi's eyes were closed as she lay unconscious next to her best friend. "USAGI! _USAGI_!" Minako crawled over to the still girl and held her in her arms, shaking her.

But Usagi did not open her eyes. Minako started to cry.

"Usagi! Usagi, wake up! USAGI!"

She was not aware of the many men surrounding them, only focused on her friend's comatose state.

"Usagi!"

She felt them pulling her away.

"No! Usagi!"

The men pried Minako from her friend and she saw a familiar one of them pick Usagi up.

"Princess, we have to get you inside the castle. Come, now, let's go." Minako struggled in the guard's grip to get to her friend.

"NO! Let me go! Usagi!"

"She's being taken care of, don't worry. Now we have to get inside!"

"I want to be with Usagi! Let me go!"

"Princess, this is for your own safety. Your friend will be attended to by our doctors immediately. Right now you have to come inside!"

"Then let me go with _her!_" Minako squirmed around even more.

"I can't, princess. I'm sorry, but I'm supposed to-"

"I don't care!" Minako then violently twisted her body and just barely broke free of the guard's hold on her. She sprinted towards the people taking Usagi away. But she didn't get far, as soon she was once again trapped within one of her guard's arms.

"Princess, please," he started sympathetically, "under such conditions we are ordered to bring you to a safe place within the castle. You can see her soon."

"I want to stay with her! Usagi!" she continued to cry out to her friend in the distance.

"I'm sorry..." he said sadly as he continued to drag the struggling and crying girl away. Minako could not stop the growing emotions inside of her; worry and anxiety and confusion combined, feeling like her heart would burst.

And yet she could do nothing. The young princess was completely helpless as she was unceremoniously taken away from the scene, tears streaming down her pretty face the whole way. Minako futilely stretched out a hand and reached for her friend as far as she could, but to no avail. The other girl was almost out of sight, both being carried into different parts of the castle.

As Minako watched her friend disappearing from view, still as death, she felt something break.

"USAAGIIIIIII!"

It was her heart.

- - -

The unconscious girl was in the exact opposite state of Minako. Unmoving, a silent Usagi lay cradled in the arms of a frantic guard. She was ghostly pale, her fair skin lacking any pigment at all. Usagi had naturally, and beautiful, fair skin-but this was different. Her flesh was so white it matched the color of the clouds, and was nothing less than icy to the touch.

"_Where _is the doctor?" The young, sandy-haired man shouted to a rather petite nurse, panicking upon the discovery that the doctor was out.

"I-I don't know! Doctor Meioh was just-"

"I'm right here, Motoki," popped in a deep, but feminine voice. "What are you shouting abou-my God!" The tall woman with dark skin rushed to the ill girl being held, worry in her eyes. "What in the world..."

"Setsuna, can you help her?" he said quickly. "She's freezing! Every second she grows colder, and we can't get her to wake up! Please-"

"Follow me," she responded curtly. The doctor turned on her heel, Motoki right behind her. She led him to a small room that contained a small bed in the corner, and a shelf covered with various medical supplies.

"Put her on the bed." Motoki quickly obeyed as the doctor began to look through bottles on the shelf. "Tell me what happened, Motoki." He spoke very quickly

"I have no idea, none of us do! We heard a scream coming from the stables, one from the princess. We rushed there, and found Usagi like this on the ground and Minako in both shock and hysterics. Tell me, Setsuna, do you know what's happened to her?"

Setsuna abandoned her search through the bottles and went to the bedside. Frowning when feeling the girl's temperature on Usagi's forehead, her concern grew.

"Motoki, I need you to call for my nurses-they're on their lunch break in the garden. Then I need you to tell one of them to get blankets, lots of them. Go." He nodded and exited the room as she poked her head out of the door. "Mamoru!" She looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Where is that boy? I can never find him when I need him!" she grumbled under her breath. "MAMORU!"

After a moment, a young, black-haired boy skidded around the corner. He was very disheveled, obviously having run to the scene.

"I'm here!" his high voice said proudly, taking pride in his hasty arrival.

"Mamoru, I need you to get a large bucket of water and bring it here as fast as you can, okay?" she said quickly, rushing about the room.

"Sure!" he replied with a grin. "But why-"

"Just do it!"

The young assistant and errand-runner was a little taken aback by the usual calm woman's outburst, but quickly recovered and dashed off. He accidentally ran into someone on his way, another boy a few years older than him.

"Ah!" Mamoru exclaimed, "Sorry Jackson!" The other boy merely shrugged and peered into the room. Shock hit him when he saw his blonde friend lying there, unconscious, and looking like she was dead. His voice was lost.

Rolling her eyes, Setsuna returned to Usagi's side.

She gently checked the young girl over, briefly feeling for any injuries. When she found no immediate ones, she hastily began to disrobe the girl. After holding Usagi upright, Setsuna pulled the dress over the girl's head and carelessly let it fall to the floor. Jackson, with a bit of a blush, ducked around to the other side of the door and out of sight. As soon as Setsuna's gaze fell upon Usagi's bare chest, her eyes went wide and she drew in a sharp breath.

Right at the center of the girl's chest, just above what would soon be real breasts, was a red mark. It appeared as if Usagi had been severely burned below her collarbone, in the shape of a star.

"My God..."

She went to touch it lightly with her fingers, just barely extending her hand to the mark. But she quickly snatched her hand away, recoiling when her own skin was nearly singed. The mark was searing hot, and would no doubt leave something on the skin it currently laid upon.

But Setsuna was confused. How could the child be so cold, yet have a blazing star on her chest? And yet with all the physical discomfort and pain her body was inflicted with, the girl remained unconscious.

"I'm back! What do you want me to do with this wa_aaaah_..." Mamoru, upon just entering, faltered at the sight in the room. It wasn't really the fact that there was a certain girl in the room, or that she was unconscious, or that her skin was such a strange color, or that there was an odd mark on her chest, that made him almost drop the full bucket of water in his small hands. It was the fact that the girl was almost completely naked that made his cheeks ablaze and his eyes squinch shut.

And it didn't help that he had a _bit _of a crush on her. Well, a little more than a bit.

"Mamoru, stop that! This isn't the time to be embarrassed! Bring that here, now!"

The flustered boy complied, waddling over to the doctor with the heavy bucket. Setsuna immediately snatched it from his hands and poured a decent amount right onto the girl's chest.

There was a loud sizzling noise to accompany the red mark's change. It shrunk to half its original size, only one inch across and two inches tall. The burn faded quickly into a scar as white as Usagi's skin, marring her previously smooth flesh. It was a smooth scar itself, but nonetheless remained a visible mark upon the girl.

This eased Setsuna's nerves a little, though she was still greatly worried. Before she could put Usagi's dress back on to bring the girl more warmth and spare Mamoru further embarrassment, Motoki and three nurses barged into the room. Naturally, the four paused upon viewing the scene.

"Motoki, blankets! All of them!" He was quickly snapped back to reality, and hastily covered the girl he considered his little sister with the fabrics.

But as soon as he had entered the room, Motoki was kicked out.

"Mamoru, Motoki, out!" They exited. "Now, I need smelling salts, hot water and a cloth for her head, and something to drink when she wakes up for warmth and energy!"

There was much bustling about the room as the two men watched from outside. Motoki's height was greater than the boy's, though not by much. He was tall at eighteen, just over six feet tall. Mamoru, too, was tall for his age.

At fifteen, the boy was only a few inches shorter than the man next to him. However, Mamoru had a skinny, almost lanky build compared to Motoki's more adult body. Motoki often teased him about the difference in build, greatly irritating his younger friend at times. Sometimes he would remind Mamoru that in a few years he would fill out-but only when the boy seemed depressed about the issue.

Despite the three years between them, the two were best friends. When Motoki wasn't on duty, he was either seen with Mamoru or Minako and Usagi. He spent more time with Mamoru than with the girls, but still enjoyed the blondes' company. Minako was his cousin, in fact, and Usagi closer to him as a sister than even a real sister might be. As an only child, Motoki looked to the two girls for that specific, family relationship.

Mamoru, also an only child, was less social than his best friend. He had very few friends-though they were close and made up for the fact that he did not have many. His only other friends, four other males, were introduced to him by Motoki. Mamoru was lucky, in a way. Had he not befriended Motoki, he would have been totally alone. And the only reason the younger boy _had_ befriended him was because of the way they had met.

It was right after Mamoru's mother and father had died. Mamoru and his family had been out one day when they were attacked by bandits. Severely injured, bleeding to death and unable to move, Mamoru was barely alive when Motoki found him. Being near to the castle, Motoki had rushed the dying boy there for help. He had been visiting (as he was the nephew to the king and queen, and cousin to Minako), as well as training for combat.

And so, the two somehow became friends and their relationship deepened with time. Their friendship rivaled that of Usagi and Minako's, though Mamoru hadn't gotten to know either of the girls very well. While the boy was quite wealthy, inheriting all of his parent's fortune, he had opted to live in the castle as an assistant when the king had offered. Once part of a happy and rich family, he was now living like a person of the middle class with the wealth of the upper-class.

Now, the two were peering into the frantic room. Motoki was bordering on hysterical at the sight of the nearly-lifeless Usagi and the failed attempts of the medics to cure her of her mysterious ailment, while Mamoru merely watched with confusion. The boy was standing in front of Motoki, as he wouldn't be able to see past the older man's height through the narrow doorway. The boy who Mamoru had run into before stood behind him, tall enough to see over the younger boy's head.

He, Jackson, looked to be about eighteen or nineteen, though was only sixteen. The boy had messy, medium-length dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He looked into the room with as much interest as Motoki and Mamoru.

"Usagi!" Motoki's face lit up when he saw the frail girl's eyes flutter open. He almost shoved Mamoru in his attempt to get into the room, and the young boy teetered on his feet. Jackson managed to grab him before he hit the floor, and sighed. Mamoru was a rather awkward boy, and Jackson hope he'd grow up differently. They were sort of friends, but more like acquaintances. Mamoru scowled at his older, blonde friend for nearly tossing him aside for the girl, and opted to stand outside where he was.

The nurses backed away as Motoki knelt down to the bed, next to the standing doctor. He put a hand to her pale cheek affectionately, smiling with relief.

But as quickly as his wide grin had formed, it faded away. He was unable to speak before Usagi began to shiver violently, her eyes snapping shut and her arms wrapping around herself. Alarmed, Motoki leaned in closer to her and used his other hand to feel her forehead; he found it to be freezing cold. She was like a block of ice! Setsuna knelt next to him with a furrowed brow from the girl's state.

"Usagi! Come on, hang in there. You have to tell me what's wrong. Tell me what happened, Usagi," he pleaded. Usagi tried her hardest to reply, her words coming softly and quietly from her pale lips.

"Th-there was... a woman, t-tr-tried to.. c-curse... Minako... hit m-me inst-stead... th-then I saw... I saw-" Usagi's words stopped abruptly, and with a cry of pain, when a pain seized her in the chest. She sat up quickly, clutching at her heart. Eyes squinched shut, a few tears fell down her face.

"_Curse?_" said Setsuna, astonished.

Usagi only cringed as the pain grew. She had no idea what it was, but she knew that it _hurt_. A lot. And she wanted it to stop. She wanted to get warm, too. She felt so... _vulnerable_, and she was scared.

"Usagi!" said Motoki, more alarmed than ever. She turned to look at him with half-lidded eyes.

"M-Motoki... help me! I'm... so cold, and... it hurts!" She couldn't help but cry, and Motoki felt like he could cry, too. Usagi, basically his little sister, was in serious trouble-and he didn't know what to do.

He took her into his arms, trying to provide both comfort and warmth for the crying, shuddering girl. Usagi immediately latched onto him, needing what he could give her.

"Oh God, Usagi. I'm so sorry. Don't worry, everything will be fine. We can fix this! We can get through it together, you'll see..."

Setsuna's worried face turned to the door, away from the troubled man and crying girl.

"Mamoru," she said after a pause, "go get the princess, and bring her here, quickly." Mamoru frowned, not liking to be ordered around in such a way. But it was what he did, and he obeyed-but not without another scowl and a nudge from Jackson.

Strangely, Usagi began to feel a little warmer and the tightness in her chest lessened. She was still shivering, but not violently and the pain in her chest was being reduced to a strong ache. The longer she stayed in her almost-brother's embrace, the more the cold and pain went away.

"MOVE!" called a high voice from outside of the room. Suddenly, a blur of yellow flew through the doorway. "USAGI!"

A frantic and heavy-breathing Minako crouched next to her cousin, and pried him away from Usagi just a little. Motoki allowed the princess to turn the girl in his arms to face her, but refused to let go entirely.

"Usagi, are you okay?! You just... _fell! _It was like you were _dead!_" Tears flowed down Minako's face as she grabbed the hands of her best friend and held them tightly.

When Usagi's crying friend grasped her hands, she felt even warmer. Her chest didn't hurt much anymore-in fact, it had been reduced now to a dull ache. Motoki, understanding the bond between the two girls being greater than his with Usagi, backed off a little.

As soon as Usagi was released, Minako lunged and grabbed her in a tight hug.

"I thought you were dead, Usagi! I..." Minako took in a deep breath as she pulled back and looked into Usagi's eyes angrily. "Why? Why did you do that? WHY? You almost died! Stupid, you're so stupid! Usagi, you idiot! What if you had died? What if you DIED?" Minako shook Usagi shoulders as she yelled at her, tears falling more than ever. Usagi could only manage a wobbly smile as her own eyes filled with tears.

"Then it would have been in your protection, silly. I can't have my best friend, and the _princess, _dying on me," Usagi replied sincerely.

- - -

Seeing as there were no other symptoms, Usagi was let alone for the time being the next day. It was, after all, going to be the princess' birthday tomorrow. The whole castle was busy preparing the grand party in her honor.

- - -

Something, some feeling, was stirring in Usagi. Maybe she was getting sick, because she felt awfully cold in there. And there were a _lot _of people in that ballroom. The body heat was making some of the more active guests start to shimmer with perspiration. Usagi was standing on the side, leaning against the wall next to Motoki. he had noticed her sulking; how utterly bored she was. Basically being her older brother, he went to her and attempted to keep her company.

"Usagi, you're looking quite glum."

"Maybe," said with a pout.

"And why is that, hmm?" Usagi's pout became... pout-ier.

"Minako hasn't spoken to me at all today!" she whined childishly.

"Usagi, you know that the princess has been very busy, she'd not trying to avoid you."

"Well, she _could _have said something. Just one word, geez! Your cousin can be so irritating sometimes!" Usagi crossed her arms over her stomach and scoffed. Motoki held back an amused chuckle.

"I'm sure she would love to be with you, but the princess has duties and responsibilities that we don't have. Trust me, I don't think she's enjoying today as much as she should." He glanced at his cousin, who was currently dancing with her father. She was sort of smiling, though he could tell she was tired of the evening.

"Right..." Usagi trailed off, suddenly feeling a little more depressed than irritated. "I got her a present, and I want to give it to her... but she's never alone long enough." Motoki looked down at Usagi with sympathy.

"You'll get a chance, don't worry. And I'm sure that she'll just love to get a gift from you."

"I hope so... but she's got-she has _so many _other things. All expensive and pretty presents given by all the rich people." Usagi was feeling very low now; she couldn't compare to all the fancy tributes to the princess. Usagi's tiny token of affection paled in comparison, really. Or at least that's what she thought.

"Oh, Usagi... don't tell me that you feel _undermined _by these people. You're just as good as they are! In fact, I'd say you were better."

"Really?" she said with bright eyes. He could always make her feel better about herself. As small as it was, Usagi was glad to have the family she was currently bestowed with. Minako and Motoki were wonderful people, they truly were.

"Of course!" he replied with enthusiasm. The young man glanced around the room suddenly, clearly up to something.

"Motoki, what are you-"

"Hey, I have an idea. Let's get out of this place and have some fun, hmm?"

"...Really?" It wasn't often that they got to spend time together, especially as of late.

"Of course!" he confirmed with a genuine smile. "Nobody will notice, I'm sure. And I'm know that there's a lot more things to do than stand here and mope around, don't you?"

"Yeah!" Usagi chirped, wanting to jump up and down. He nodded and discreetly gestured for her to follow him.

The two very smoothly slipped out of the grand room, and crept down the hall with smiles on their faces.

"Well, Usagi, I don't know about you... but I could really use some food. None of that fancy stuff out there, I'm talking about _real _food."

"What do you mean?" Usagi asked with curiosity.

"I mean that, instead of that colorful cake, I'd like some homemade... warm, fresh_ apple pie,_ mmm..." Usagi's eyes bugged out and she gaped at him.

"We can have _that? _Tell me where!" Usagi. Loved. Apple pie.

"Meh, I saw some being made in the kitchen just before I left to come to the party," Motoki replied casually. "But I think that Mamoru and Jackson may have gotten there first. We'll just have to see, now won't we?"

"Them... get there first?" she asked with horror, before snatching his hand and dashing down the hall. "HURRY!"

- - -

"Motoki, this was such a great idea!" Usagi chirped, on her fourth piece of pie. Motoki was shocked. How could such a tiny girl fit all that food into her stomach? It was impossible!

Mamoru and Jackson were both staring at the girl, quite appalled. She had eaten more than they had, and they ate a _lot. _It was amazing, what that girl could so with food. She was still happily chowing down on the dessert.

But then, Motoki noticed something wrong with Usagi.

"Hey, are you cold? You're shivering, Usagi."

"Well... sort of." She had been _freezing, _but the pie had helped a little.

"I'd give you my coat, but I left it in my room," he said regrettably. "And it's so warm in here..." Motoki frowned, and reached out a hand to Usagi's forehead.

"I'm not sick!" she whined. And she wasn't... at least not with a fever-then her head would feel hot.

"...Usagi, you're really _cold." _The girl's health was quite out of wack this week. "Maybe I should go get you something to keep you warm, this is just a little strange."

"You can have my jacket, Usagi," a meek voice said from behind her. She turned around to see a rather... bashful boy holding out the garment.

"Oh. Thanks, Mamoru!" she replied cheerfully, taking the jacket from Mamoru's extended hand. If it wasn't so warm in there to them, Usagi could've sworn she saw him blush. But she didn't see Motoki's devious grin sent in Mamoru's direction as she went back to her pie, the black-haired boy taking his seat two chairs down from her again. Jackson was looking at Mamoru suspiciously, sitting directly to Usagi's right. It wasn't that Jackson _disliked _Mamoru, but there was something that made him wary towards the younger male. Usagi didn't know this, but the boy with brown hair felt oddly protective of her, though he certainly didn't like her _that_ way. While he didn't feel brotherly towards her like Motoki, he didn't have any feelings for her. There was just something that made him want to keep an eye out for her, and Mamoru only strengthened the urge.

As Usagi put on the jacket, she frowned. This was strange...

She felt even colder.

Just for a test, Usagi removed it a little, and gasped.

It was frigid!

Good God! She must have gotten colder in the seconds that she'd had the jacket on! Usagi hastily put it back around her shoulders, and the three males looked at her strangely.

"Usagi," Motoki asked with concern, leaning closer to her, "are you feeling all right?"

No, she wasn't.

"H-hey... are you s-sure you're all warm in here?" The shivering was returning. She didn't dare to remove the jacket again, for fear her skin would burn from an invisible ice. Motoki reached out and cupped her face with his hands, and his eyes opened wide.

"Usagi, you're freezing!" It was even worse now! "This is just like yesterday!" There was panic in his voice, and he frantically looked for a solution. There! The fires in the kitchen were just yards away.

"Come here, Usagi. Let's get you closer to the fire." She hopped off her chair and let Motoki lead her across the kitchen, a comforting hand on her back. His gaze wandered to the night sky out a nearby window, to the large moon in the sky. For a reason unknown to him, he glared at it. When he turned back to the still-shivering girl before him, Motoki gently brushed her hair out of her face. But he found her skin to be icy cold, having worsened even more within the past few seconds.

"Oh, no. This is not good." He turned back to the two boys with worry on his face. "I need you two to do me a favor," he said quickly, not giving them a chance to accept or decline his request, "go find Doctor Meioh, and do it fast. Tell her where we are." The two other boys looked at each other, then ran off. Usagi was their friend, too.

A few minutes had passed, and neither of the boys were back yet. Motoki had taken the girl into his arms and tried to keep her warmer with his body heat, though the fire and body heat was beginning to make him perspire. But hey, if it kept Usagi from being freezing, he could take the heat.

"Oh, _there _you are!" shouted an exasperated voice. "I've been looking everywhere for y-oh my God, _Usagi?"_

Jadeite rushed over to the two, overcome with concern. Usagi had become just like she was the day before, shaking violently and her teeth chattering.

"What-oh, _God. _What happened, Motoki?"

"No idea. But it's just like she was before, minus the burning-wait... Usagi, that thing isn't hot, is it?" She shook her head. "Well at least we have that."

"Is she sick?"

"I don't think so. I sent Mamoru and Jackson to find Setsuna, but they haven't come back yet, so-"

"_Again?_ Oh, dear. Let me see her!" Right on cue, the doctor came rushing into the kitchen. Motoki moved away just a little, trying to keep her a little warm with himself while still letting Setsuna have a look. She put a hand to Usagi's head, like Motoki had done, and bit her lip.

"I really haven't seen anything like this before," she said quietly.

"What should we do?" Motoki asked.

"I... don't know. I actually do _not _know what to do," she admitted with fright. She loved the dear child, and was terrified that she couldn't help Usagi. "Oh my, this is bad. Usagi, you hang in there. I'll figure something out." Usagi nodded, cringing when she felt a pain seize her chest, and she doubled over with a cry.

"Usagi!" Motoki yelled as she felt to the floor, screaming. The agony was back-it was ripping out her heart, tearing apart her insides... and she screamed bloody murder.

"AAAAHHH!"

"_AAAAHHH!"_

Usagi's eyes shot open and she bolted upright, covered in sweat from the nightmare. Her eyes frantically darted around, taking in her surroundings. It took a few moments for her to realize that she wasn't thirteen, and that she wasn't in the castle, and that she didn't have people with her.

She was twenty, she was in the forest, and she was alone.

_Damn, _she thought, _I hate that dream. _

How many times had she dreamt of her past right when she was cursed? Too many to count. It wasn't Minako's birthday; it was August 8th in the year 1243. Usagi shook her head in frustration, and groaned from a new headache settling in. The young woman rubbed the bridge of her nose as she drew in a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

Had she not been so incredibly tired, Usagi might have gotten up and done something to recover from the scare. But the girl was completely exhausted; her day had been a little rough. The blond rubbed her sore shoulder, the place where she'd been knocked down by a cane that day. She'd been trying to steal a pear-just one, _tiny _little pear-but she got caught. And _whap! _Usagi got hit on her left shoulder by some old lady with a temper.

It was just _one _pear! Usagi scowled. She had also done a lot of running that day, more than usual. And so she sighed, plopped back down on the ground, and attempted to fall asleep. And eventually, she did. And unfortunately, her dream returned-not too far from where it had left off.

Contrary to her promise, Setsuna had _not _been able to help Usagi. The thirteen-year-old had to ride it out, and for nearly an _hour. _It was the most excruciating day of her life.

But later that night, it was even worse. And that is where Usagi's dream picked back up...

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It was the night after that of the full moon, less than an hour before midnight. Usagi was freezing, just as she had been for the past two nights. But this one was far worse. Every night, as the moon went higher into the sky, Usagi had grown cold. And as it became midnight, the pain came. It all began to subside by itself a little past midnight, but sometimes it had been subdued by other things. At one point, when both Minako and Motoki had been holding her, the pain had been dimmed a little. But right now, nothing was working.

Usagi had been, in a way, hospitalized. She was put in a guestroom bed after that night in the kitchens, and made to stay there. Now people were crowded around the young girl as she suffered, all feeling miserable watching her pain and being unable to stop it. And so Usagi lay in the bed, groaning in pain, onlookers full of sympathy.

"Hang in there, Usagi," said a crying princess, "you can do it!" Usagi shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She definitely could _not _do it. There was too much havoc being wreaked inside of her body, and she had no way to combat it.

And then a new feeling stirred inside of her body-the urge to flee. To just get up and _bolt. _It was overwhelming, this want to escape. It became so strong that the impulse propelled Usagi to her feet, its power taking even her by surprise. Without warning, the girl lept through the crowd of startled people, and dashed out of the room.

Usagi flew down the stairs, driven by this unknown force. She could hear frantic voices echoing faintly from behind her, calling her name. But they didn't register. Her instinct had taken over. It said: _run, run, run. _And to keep running. _Can't stop running. _

Before Usagi knew it, she was outside and fleeing from the castle grounds entirely. She was outside the doors... running across the lawn... past the gates... into the town... she didn't know where she was going. But for some reason, she was trying to lose the people chasing her-her _friends. _She had no idea why, but she had to get away. Run. Keep on running. Dodging in and out of nooks and crannies, weaving through the small buildings, Usagi did everything she could to lose her followers. Keep running. Run.

And then, Usagi saw the forest. And a wave of a strange feeling hit her like a ton of bricks. It was a feeling of foreshadowing. This forest... it was special. And it was going to be important in her life... how, she did not know. She was only thirteen. But still, she ran. There was a heavy pull, the trees tugging at her heart and drawing her towards them. She couldn't help it, couldn't resist their pull; Usagi had to go in.

And so she sprinted into the woods before her, hidden from all the eyes of her friends so desperately seeking her. And even though she had escaped them, she couldn't stop running. Usagi's legs kept moving, kept pushing her on.

She had no idea how long she ran. When her legs were so worn out that they'd turned to jelly and given out, she crashed to the forest floor and had the wind knocked out of her. Usagi had no strength left. She could only lay there, panting and gasping for breath and feeling cold and in agony and having no escape from any of it. Usagi's face was pressed against the soft grass in a clearing that she hadn't realized she'd come upon, complete with a clear pool on the side and some autumn flowers.

Then, it got worse. Much worse.

Usagi had never felt pain so severe in her entire life. It was like before, but exponentially greater. A searing blade had been thrust into her chest and was being twisted around, while the rest of her was still lit up with an icy fire. Her scream cut through the chilly night air like a knife, piercing it so harshly.

And then, her body-it began to _glow. _A white aura surrounded Usagi, growing brighter and brighter as the chill and pain soared. The entire clearing was illuminated with a sudden brilliance, the light flooding an area of the forest within a certain radius.

Then, the light vanished and Usagi's scream was cut off. The pain and cold disappeared, an everything was still, save for Usagi's quickly breathing form on the ground.

She lay there for a few more moments, to recover from the episode, eyes closed and body lax. Eventually, she heaved a sigh and began to stand up on wobbly legs. As she reached her full height, a terrible headache began to settle in. Usagi squinched her eyes shut and brought a hand to her head, feeling quite dizzy. But when she tried to put her hand to her head, she stumbled foward, suddenly losing balance.

Usagi quickly put her hand back on the ground where it had been, so that she might walk instead. She shook her head a little, seeing as she was unable to use her hands. For some reason, she had to use them to keep her balance while walking. Usagi looked down, quite irritated. But what she saw nearly made her faint. It was no wonder she couldn't use her hands...

She didn't have any.

As Usagi stared down at her legs, she realized something terrible. There were _four _of them. And she had no arms. Her arms had become _legs, _giving her an extra set. And she was taller now. And... she had no toes on her feet. She didn't even really have feet.

She had _hooves. _Usagi tried to scream, but her voice failed her.

She stumbled over to the edge of the pond she had just noticed, and looked into it with horror. What she saw reflected back at her on the surface was not Usagi. It wasn't a thirteen-year-old girl. No, not at all. It was... a _colt. _

Usagi was a _horse. _

She fainted from the shock. And as Usagi fell into darkness...

She awoke with a start, twenty years old.

"Not _again!"_ she shouted to no one in particular. Couldn't she dream of something pleasant? Like soaring over fields of flowers or something? A recollection of her first days under the curse, that was not an enjoyable dream.

It had been ridiculous, then, how much the change hurt. Absolutely ludicrous. It became much easier with time, as Usagi learned to accept the form coming on. Now it just felt uncomfortable, although the chill was still unpleasant. There wasn't any pain anymore, not unless she fought it. Though sometimes she fought it out of frustration anyway, _just_ so that she _would _feel the pain. Usagi had never avoided the change altogether. Held it off for a maximum of ten seconds, maybe. But it was always the same.

She had three days to be a woman. The night before, the night of, and the night after the full moon. Just three days-that was all.

Needless to say, it SUCKED.

Because for the majority of each month, that girl had to be an animal. It was _not _something she enjoyed. Sure, there were some things that weren't so bad. But that didn't mean Usagi wouldn't _sell her soul _to ger her humanity back.

"FINE!" she screamed again to the nothingness. _Life obviously wants to deprive me of sleep, _she thought bitterly, as had turned her personality. _Well, have it your way! _

Usagi blinked the sleep out of her eyes and decided that she hated the world more than usual today. And it was only her second night of being _Usagi _again. She had just twenty four hours or so left to be a human, and it really... _pissed her off. _Usagi used to complain about little things when she was young, about games being unfair, ans not getting enough apple pie... but that was _nothing _compared to now. Her complaints were completely valid, and perfectly acceptable. They were things like,

I haven't eaten in days,_ I'm hungry._

It's winter and I don't have any clothes,_ I'm cold._

It's raining and I have no shelter,_ I'm wet._

I'm isolated from the world, _I'm lonely._

I live in the forest,_ I have no friends. _

I miss my family and my childhood, _I want to go home._

Such was her unfortunate life. And so, whenever her heart felt the urge to complain like this, her mind replied with: _shut up and deal with it. _

And that is what Usagi did every day-for seven years. It got old after a very short while, and she had become rather jaded because of it. Up until this seventh year of being cursed, nothing too exciting or unique had happened in Usagi's life.

But, eventually, _something _had to happen. And that is where the true story begins.

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Well?

Seiya/Usagi contact coming up! You'll love it.

Anyway, I do hope you like this fic, because I've spent an unbelievable amount of time on this story. Next chapter will be out very soon, as I now have the first _thirteen _of them written. Wow!

This IS a Seiya/Usagi fic! Not Mamoru/Usagi! And not Motoki/Usagi, either. And certainly not Usagi/Jackson! It's all about Seiya! I'm sorry if this chapter gave you the wrong impression. So I'm just clarifying that, especially because Seiya wasn't even in this chapter. Oh, and I made Jackson up, if you couldn't tell. But he's not just an extra, mind you. He'll get his screen time eventually.

Anyway, what do you think? Is it a good start? It doesn't have much... _yummy _stuff in it, because we have to get into the story, first. But once we do... man, are you gonna go nuts. In a good way, of course. I just wrote this one scene... I had to read it a few more times after I'd perfected it, cause I liked it so much.

Laters!


	2. Bears and Necessities

Disclaimer: Nope

Notes: And now we finally get to meet some of the other characters! Hmm, I wonder what roles they're playing. Read on to find out! Heh heh. Oh, and there's... just a little bit of bad language in here. Just... a little... right.

Huge chapter. More than 10,000 words. Hmm.

Want to know something funny? I put off posting this chapter just because I couldn't think of a title. Hah! Perhaps my muse can help me come up with something better.

Anyway, I know that grizzly bears don't live in Europe. But this isn't reality, so they can live wherever I say they do. And I say that grizzly bears can live in Europe, where this story is set. Okay then! On with the show.

Enjoy.

Posted 1/4/07

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**Under the Full Moon**

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Summary: A young woman cursed seven years ago was forced into a lonely life of isolation, losing all that she had once held dear. But after a chance meeting in the moonlight, her sad story becomes an enchanted tale of romance. Seiya/Usagi.

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**Chapter Two: Bears and Necessities **

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August 9th, 1243

Seeing as Usagi had been isolated from the real world at the age of thirteen, she hadn't exactly been subject to an education. Sure, she had known a hell of a lot more stuff than her peers when she was thirteen and younger, but the whole curse thing had prevented any further teaching.

She'd tried-oh, how she'd tried. During the short time when she was her true self, she attempted to get her hands on any books she could. It had started when she was finally beginning to accept her fate, and was wanting to make the most of her unfortunate life. And this was only after her obsession with finding a cure for herself had ended. At first Usagi actually read some books on science, and mathematics. They quickly bored her, and she figured them to be a waste of her time.

And so, she had taken more to literature. Usagi loved books with plots. And characters. And a great storyline. Not that she had anyone to admit it to, but she would never admit that her favorites were the romance novels. They made up for her lack of a love life. Unfortunately, they were the hardest to find.

Since the girl could read and write, she did it as much as she could. As long as she had hands, she would turn pages. That is, if she had a book. It was hard to write, as it was nearly impossible to obtain paper and writing utensils. But what did she have to write? No letters to family, no love notes to a significant other, no stories for friends.

Because she had none of those.

She was the last Tsukino left. Her mother had died when she was ten, and her father... that story was just as unpleasant. Usagi preferred not to think of his death, as it only brought guilt and depression. She felt responsible for his death, and it was another reason that she didn't want to return to that old life. The memories were too much.

And there was no way she could find someone to love her, being as she was. As for friends... they couldn't still care for her after she'd so selfishly left them because of her own cowardice. And she didn't have many to begin with. There was Minako, and there was Motoki. And that was all.

Needless to say, it was a rather depressing thought.

And so Usagi read. She was an eloquent young woman, who could speak quite well and had a wide and advanced vocabulary. Unfortunately, she didn't get to exercise it very much. Over the years her exceptional speaking skills had sort of died down. After all, who was there to talk to besides herself? She did that enough already.

It was a wonder she was still sane.

Usagi's days were spent quite differently according to her... species. She much more enjoyed her days as the beauty than her days as the beast. As an animal, her usual schedule was to wake up, wander around, eat, wander around, eat, eat some more, mix the steps around, then repeat them a bit before going to sleep. When she was human, the young woman could actually go into town, or whatever civilization there was close by. She could actually socialize, have contact with people. There were a few bad things that came with the change to her real self; ones that heavily hampered the girl.

One problem was money. It was a necessity, and she had none. The only reason she could read was because she read at libraries (rarely) or... _borrowed_ materials-she couldn't get her own books. Everything that had once been hers was lost the moment she was struck in the chest with a spell all those years ago. And so, money was a big issue. She couldn't buy food, or clothes, or anything else. This was a big problem, as she needed clothes when she was a human and would _not _eat grass as a woman. It was disgusting enough to eat as a horse; she'd sooner starve than eat it as a human. So, how did she get clothing and nourishment for three days each month?

She stole them, of course.

Although it made her feel incredibly guilty, the guilt was greatly diluted by the fact that she needed these things to survive. And usually she only had to steal food. She'd built up a decently-sized stash of various clothes to use when she needed them. But food wouldn't keep for so long. Every now and then some warm person or couple would take pity on her and give her something to eat, which was her ideal situation (regardless of how she _despised _pity, she needed to eat). Usagi could be in good company and be fed at the same time by people who wanted to help her. Sometimes she could even get a bed to sleep in.

Dear God, how she missed beds.

But as she grew older and spent more time in the different wooded areas, she found that many of the forests had various fruits she could feed on. There weren't many, but she memorized every place she found them. After all, she'd had seven years to do it. Located deep within some of these forests, she had discovered apples, plums, wild strawberries, blackberries, mulberries, and raspberries, to name a few.

Many berries. Lots of berries. Most of them were berries. She tried not to get sick of them. Unfortunately, only the various berries could be found within close range of each other; Usagi had to travel great distances to get plums and apples and the like.

And of course there were the wild onions, but she didn't have much of a use for them. Nasty little buggers.

In her earliest year of being an animal, Usagi had trusted humans and accepted their hospitality. Some would see the brilliant white mare and shower her with food, it was lovely. But others... they wanted to catch her, tame her, use her to ride. Usagi may have been forced to be trapped in a horse's body, but she wasn't about to be someone's _pet. _No way in hell.

So, after a few mishaps with misplaced trust, she'd given up on replying on people when she wasn't one herself.

And it made her life so unbearably lonely.

But she couldn't help but be wary of people now. Her experiences with them as her 'other self' had made her lose respect for much of the human race. It was becoming more and more rare to find someone who actually wanted to help the girl. Selflessness was a dying concept. And so the young woman had become jaded, being dealt a such lousy hand in the game of life. The once cheery girl was now a cynic, as much as she tried to remain optimistic. It was hard to be hopeful when you were in a situation like hers. But Usagi tried. She hadn't lost all of herself, but she had lost her innocence, her childhood, her ability to trust. Did that mean that she regretted taking the hit for Minako seven years ago?

Absolutely not.

If given the choice, she'd do it again. Usagi loved Minako that much. She regretted not being able to save them both, for giving herself this miserable life. She'd give anything to have her own life back. Except for Minako's. If it meant her friend's happiness, Usagi would take this way of life. That was just the person she was. But damn, did it screw her over. Over the years she'd learned to not feel sorry for herself and wallow in self-pity, though she had her moments every now and then. It would be strange for her to be ecstatic with her curse.

Usagi lamented the things in life she'd missed out on. Was missing out on. Would miss out on. She mourned the loss of having friends, her grand total of two (assuming she considered them as friends still, which she did-though she was unsure if the feeling was mutual), and not being able to make new ones. The young woman wished she could have an education, especially because every time she was around people it seemed like she was so far out of the loop. Because she was.

And she'd always wanted to settle down and have a family. Sure, Usagi had a few crushes when she was a girl, but she never got to know love. She liked Motoki for about a month, and another boy she'd seen around the town where she'd lived. But they were just crushes. As for love, nothing. That chance ended when she was thirteen. And she really would've liked to be a mother.

Now Usagi could only dream of having children of her own, and a strong man to father them. She had once thought bitterly, and with heavy sarcasm, that she might find a nice stallion to hook up with. She _did _have a way with animals, after all. Especially horses.

Yes, and then she would frolic around with her friends, the forest critters. Right. Usagi could just imagine having a tea party with a friendly squirrel. It would be _oh_ _so _wonderful.

Such was the life of a twenty-year-old girl-turned-horse-by-accident by some random-and-crazed-witch that cursed her when she was protecting royalty when she was but a wee little lass. _So_ simple.

It wasn't hard to tell that Usagi was feeling more bitter than usual at the moment. She had forgotten to return to her stash of clothing (in the clearing where she sort of lived) on the night before the full moon, when she had plans for the _real _Usagi. The girl, on her second night as a human, had decided to walk around aimlessly for a while, and lost track of the time (this happened a lot). She had been just over a mile from the spot; though, of course, it was more like ten miles for her. This was because Usagi had to walk there now, as a human. It was much slower and more tiring, as she was quite used to her usual speed and agility. The horse body was much more durable and stronger. And it was chilly outside. And oh yes, she was also naked.

Tired, naked, and cold, the young woman power-walked through the forest she spent the most time in. She was _so _going to start building a house or something. It might take her years, but maybe she could make a makeshift cabin. She could gather heavy materials when she was a horse, and put it together with her more agile woman form. Turning into an animal had some, if few, advantages.

One of them was speed. That girl was _fast _as the white mare. And she found joy in running herself into exhaustion. It felt good, exhilarating, it got her blood flowing. She loved that adrenaline rush that working those four powerful legs could give her.

It also made it easier for her to steal things.

Usagi was quite proud of herself with this one plan she had come up with. She had sprinted through a marketplace, bumping into random carts and catching falling goods in a sheet that she had fashioned into a bag. She had practiced it at night, the run-through. And the next night she had feasted on fruits and vegetables as a woman. Some people prided themselves on their careers and wealth for success. But Usagi, she was different. She prided herself on her ability to steal produce with only her mouth and shoulders.

But currently, she wasn't thinking about that. She was counting the steps to her destination. Usagi was very close to it now, which made her glad. She was feeling especially lethargic today. At least she didn't have to deal with a menstrual cycle. That was a bonus with the curse. Sure, she'd only had it two or three times before, as she'd only been thirteen when the spell was put on her and that bodily process removed. But still, it was nice not to have to worry about that. Although... it did mean that she was unable to have children. And that was another depressing thought. Even though she knew she didn't have the time, or body, or... _resources _to have kids, it still hurt to know that she wasn't even capable.

Usagi finally arrived at her destination with a heavy sigh. She stood on her toes and reached into a large hole in a huge, healthy oak tree. Feeling around, she grabbed a handful of softness and pulled it out of the tree. Selecting a shirt and a pair of baggy pants, she proceeded to make her way to her bathing place. Her clothes weren't the prettiest, nor of good quality. They were what she could get, and that had to be enough. At least they were clean, after she washed them in the lovely pool.

It was a beautiful scene indeed. There was a natural spring somewhere that flowed into a waterfall in her clearing. The water poured over the edge of a tiny cliff, only about fifteen feet tall. It collected into a pool of pristine liquid diamonds; perhaps the cleanest water Usagi had ever seen. She used to wonder if the pool were not enchanted itself. Over the years she had learned that... it _was. _How, she did not know. But Usagi found it to have minor healing abilities and the ability to change in temperature according to the weather, and sometimes, she swore that she could change the temperature just when she really wanted it. It was amazing, and also the reason why she lived in that clearing most of the time.

It wasn't a lake or anything, and was only about thirty or so feet in diameter. But she was grateful that no one else had stumbled upon it yet. It was deep in the heart of Usagi's wood, making it very likely to never be found at all. At least not for a long while. God knows she would panic if stumbled upon, as a naked woman, swimming in the water all by herself.

The pool was one of the few pleasures in Usagi's life. That, books, and people-watching. But that's another story.

Usagi was perhaps both the cleanest horse and cleanest girl ever. She bathed in that pool at least once a day, just for fun. The water was usually warm, even in the colder seasons it wasn't totally freezing. Enchanted, indeed. And so she was a very hygienic person, and enjoyed being clean all the time.

The bare young woman approached the edge of said pool, and began to wash her clothes. She chided herself for not remembering to take them out of the tree and wash them yesterday, because now she'd have to wait, _naked, _for them to dry. Usagi hated wearing wet clothes, and so she had to let them air dry. It was just gross. And she couldn't wear them straight out of the tree, because they would be dirty and all; and who knows what else they would come in contact with? So, usually, she would drag them out with her long nose on the day before she would become a woman again, go to the pool, wash them (it was hard to do as a horse, but she managed), then hang them on some branch after whirling them around a bit to get rid of excess water.

If there were ever a contest to see how any given person could survive on their own in the wilderness, Usagi would definitely win.

A few hours later, the clothes were still damp. But she had sat and done nothing long enough, and decided to put them on anyway. Usagi needed to go out and about-and she wasn't about to do it in nothing but her skin. Flesh was not an acceptable wardrobe when one was a human.

_Finally, _Usagi thought, _I can actually be around people again. _

It had been a tough 'cycle,' as she sometimes called it-every day of it had been horrible, up until the very last one (the day before yesterday). Not the _menstrual _cycle (obviously, as she didn't have one), but the moon's cycle. The cycle during which she was the mare. It was about twenty-seven days long, and much too long for her. Three nights and two days every month was not enough time for Usagi to do much of anything. So she tried to make the most of it. Currently, she was slipping on the damp clothes, disgust written on her face.

_Ew... _

The cool night air wasn't _too_ bad without clothes, but wet clothes made it downright cold. It was unusually chilly for this time of year, though the weather never got too hot, even in the summer. But Usagi really didn't want to get sick. She didn't have anyone to rely on to take care of her, and she had learned from experience how hard it was to do it yourself. So, Usagi walked briskly in her damp clothes. She looked like nothing more than a peasant, but it would have to do for now. During her short cycle this time, she was definitely buying new clothes. With money she'd... _borrowed. _From people who were unaware they leant it to her.

Last time she'd twisted her ankle on her second day of her short cycle. When her long cycle had begun, the injury didn't disappear. They never did. Whatever her physical condition was like in one form continued if she took her other. Whether it was sickness, an injury, or even something good like feeling full, the condition stayed. But it was usually better to be injured while she was a mare, as the body was more durable and easier to heal. Her twisted ankle had prevented her from running as the animal, which wasn't much fun. But it had healed quickly, as she'd forced herself not to use it. Usagi may have been a forgetful young woman, but she had a lot of self-control. So she stayed off of that leg, and off of all of them.

This did mean that she had to eat grass, as it was what was in her reach. She _hated _grass.

The mare could do many things that the human could not, but still Usagi preferred the latter. Which she was right now. And she was going shopping tomorrow. Tonight... well, she didn't usually know what to do at the very start of her short cycle, but she always figured something out.

Usually, Usagi tried to go to different places each time she changed into a woman. She didn't want to be recognized by anyone who might have already known her, or someone who had met her from a previous visit. She didn't need people prying into her life, it was dangerous. And so Usagi's acquaintances were few, and generally never lasted more than two days and three nights. Sometimes she let herself frequent certain places she particularly liked. But the blonde was forced to visit towns, villages, and/or cities more than once, as she'd run out of new places to go through the years. Every now and then Usagi would discover a new place, though it was rare.

But she had found one, and was very much looking forward to going there.

Her most recent long cycle had been rough because of her usual "search." A few days before Usagi changed back into her true self, she'd usually explore a little to see what the best place for her to be was. She didn't want to run into trouble as the small young woman she was. No one would mug or rape a horse, so she did her exploring as the animal. This recent search had been hard, as many of the places she looked through were... not exactly safe. There had been a crime wave in an area she visited relatively often, and there had been many attempts to capture the white mare. Greedy men who wanted a showy horse had flocked to her, and Usagi had been forced to abandon the area.

But now she was headed for a safe place, and was full of excitement-however hampered it was because of the damp clothes and the chilly air.

After walking for a little bit more, the young woman saw some lights in the distance, past the edge of the forest. Eventually she reached the outskirts of the woods, and entered the town that she had sought out earlier as a horse. Usagi approached the scene with a hopeful outlook for the night, spotting a nice tavern to visit; it looked quite lively. The blonde walked through the doors with a smile on her face, seeing how cheerful the other faces were. There was live entertainment; four men were on a small stage playing some upbeat music. They had the attention of the entire place-in general. A few customers had their own business to attend to. The majority were laughing and smiling and enjoying their company and drinks.

The only seats Usagi saw open were three at the bar, and so she slid onto a stool there, watching the small show. The bartender asked if she'd like something to drink, and she politely declined. She didn't have any money to pay for it, after all-even though she was pretty thirsty (she needed the _borrowed _money for clothes). Nearly parched, in fact. Not to mention she was really hungry. But mostly thirsty.

This problem was solved not a minute later when a young, and rather handsome man slid into the stool to her right.

"Hey there," he said smoothly, though not sleazily. She turned to him, a little startled. With short blonde hair, blue eyes, and a friendly grin on his face, Usagi couldn't deny him a response.

"Hello," she replied, a little warily. Sure, he wasn't the typical sleazebag, but she'd been hit on at bars before. Usagi wasn't a fool.

"Can I get you something to drink?" he rushed in. Normally, Usagi would have refused and ignored him. But it was an offer for a free beverage, and she was going to take it! He thought to get her drunk or something so he could whisk her away, most likely. But the blonde female was smart, and wouldn't allow that to happen.

"A hot apple cider sounds good to me, thanks," she replied cheerfully. Apparently, he hadn't expected her to actually accept his offer, as surprise stuck his cute face. After all, a smart-and modest-girl would never accept a drink from a stranger trying to pick her up at a bar. And even more, she hadn't ordered any sort of alcohol. Regardless, the man paid for her beverage and Usagi waited for it to come.

"So... do you come here often?" he asked hesitantly.

_So classic, _she thought. _He's not one for easing into a conversation, now is he?_ "No, I don't," she said truthfully. "I'm just stopping in for a little while."

"Any particular reason?"

_Nosy boy! _"Not really. I'm traveling around, and this seemed like a nice place to visit in town."

"I see. Well, would you like a tour?"

_Right to the point, eh? This guy's not one for subtleties. _"Do you frequently approach random females at bars, offer them drinks, and them ask them out?" she asked wryly. He seemed to be surprised by her frankness. But he was being rather blunt, himself.

"Er..."

"Er what?" Usagi gave a grateful smile to the bartender as she was handed her drink, and she took a small sip. Smiling at the blonde man's awkwardness and struggle for an answer, Usagi helped him out of the question. "I'm just kidding!" she said with a bit of a laugh.

"Oh, right," he said sheepishly, then became quite nervous. "Well, you see, it's just that there's this festival starting in about an hour..." he trailed off. This piqued Usagi's interest.

"Oh really?" she said with genuine curiosity. This seemed to make him happy.

"Yeah! It happens once a year-you picked the right night to pass through Toschton," he advertised.

"What's it like?"

"Just a general celebration, I guess. Lights and games and dancing, food and socializing, that sort of thing. Mostly young people."

_That actually sounds really fun..._ "What's it called?"

"Oh, just the August Festival. But... well, you see, most young people... er..."

"Most young people what?"

"Well, they go in couples, right? And..."

_Oh, now I see where this is going! Let's see... is he good date material for a festival? _Usagi thought about this for a moment, and the young man looked uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze. She didn't trust people easily, and most especially men.

"What did you say your name was again?" she asked.

"Oh, I didn't," he said quickly, a little embarrassed. "Sorry about that. I'm Luke," he added with a grin, extending his hand. Usagi shook it with a smile of her own. He_ seemed_ to be a pretty innocent kid with only good intentions, at least considering how he looked to be about her age. Perhaps just a little younger.

"My name is Usagi."

"Well then, Usagi..." Luke suddenly looked very shy. Fortunately, for him, Usagi was looking for a good time. And so...

"Luke," she began, and he immediately gave her all his attention, "I have to compliment you on your courage, approaching a complete stranger and asking her for a date..." At her statement, Luke anticipated rejection, and his face fell. "And usually, I would say 'hell no,' and ignore you. But since I have nothing to do, and you seem like a decent guy..." His face immediately brightened, and a huge grin spread across it.

"Will you go with me to the festival?" he asked hopefully.

"I suppose I could," she said with a chuckle. Luke looked like he'd just won something, and was mentally doing a victory dance. The tall, and relatively slim man nodded at her.

"Well thank you, Usagi," he said sincerely. Luke jumped when a hand suddenly clamped down on his shoulder from behind, and his head whipped around to face its owner. He seemed to recognize the face, and calmed down.

"Who's your friend, Luke?" asked a pretty girl who greatly resembled the man, with shoulder length hair of the same color, and the same blue eyes.

"Oh, this is Usagi," he replied, shooting Usagi a grin. "She's coming with me to the festival. Usagi, this is my twin sister, Allison." The girls shook hands with smiles, and Allison looked Usagi over.

"Well we can't have you going in _that!" _she exclaimed suddenly, before seizing Usagi's hand and practically dragging her out of her seat. Usagi's eyes went wide at the other girl's boldness. "Don't worry, I'll set you up with something nice." Usagi yelped, and Luke looked quite alarmed at his twin.

"Ally, what are you _doing?"_ he asked incredulously.

"Getting your date something pretty to wear, that's what!" Luke only gawked as his sister took his date away, who was gaping at the situation in general.

Usagi was promptly dragged off to the twins' house, a little dazed the whole way. She'd gone from being alone at a tavern to going to a festival with a stranger for a date, to being forced to play dress-up with said date's sister.

_It's been an... interesting night, _Usagi thought as Allison modeled her in various clothes._ This festival better be fun. _

- - -

Usagi was having more fun than she'd had in years!

After getting pushed around by Allison for over an hour, she eventually ended up in a white summer dress. At first she'd been cold, but after actually getting to the festival, she became quite warm. Not just due to the huge bonfire, but also because of the activities and hoards of people. There were bright, colorful lights hanging all over the place. Everywhere Usagi looked, there were people smiling and laughing, playing games and dancing. They all looked to be having a fabulous time, and when she joined in, she found that it was easy to have so much fun.

The blonde was very surprised-no, completely _astonished-_that Luke hadn't been able to find a date and had to ask her, a stranger. He was a marvelous dancer, and a very nice guy. He was flirty and yet quite the gentlemen, and she was astounded that Luke had needed to ask her for a partner. But she was happy that he did, because she was having one hell of a good time.

Most of the young women there had woven flower necklaces adorning their necks, and Usagi had been given one made of pink and white flowers when she first arrived. Allison was wearing one with yellow and white flowers, and both females looked quite lovely. They were currently taking a break from the activities and chatting with a larger group of young people.

Usagi laughed as one of Luke's male friends cracked a corny joke, sitting with him and his group at a small picnic table. He'd introduced her to them, and she had a slight feeling that he was showing her off at the same time. Maybe he'd been teased for not being able to find a date. The man was only one year older than she, though his face made him appear much younger. Usagi was a little proud to be his date, and glad that she'd sort of... boosted his self-esteem by going with him. His friends were heavy teasers, and had to let up on it upon seeing that Luke actually had a date. And, according to the general male consensus, she was a very attractive one.

Once the group conversation had died down a little at the table, some of the couples went off to do their own thing. Usagi had pulled Luke to his feet for another dance as an upbeat tune filled the air, and he happily complied. Afterwards, the two decided to walk around outside, a bit away from the festival to cool down. The full moon was high in the sky, surrounded by bright stars as the sound of chirping crickets filled the air.

"So, Usagi," Luke began, "tell me about your travels." Usagi fought back the urge to snicker. 'Travels' was a _little_ off from what her life really consisted of.

"Well, it's a little complicated." He quirked a brow at her statement.

"Oh come on, Usagi. Try!"

"Fine, fine," she complied with a smile. "Let's see... I spend most of my time northeast of here. Tushtoon, did you say?" Luke really did seem like a nice person. Usagi was impressed. Her other encounters with young men had not been as pleasant; she was glad that she'd given this one a chance.

"Toschton. Tosh-tin," he corrected.

"Toschton?"

"That's right."

"Toschton. Anyway, I go all around, though not so much north. I don't find it as pleasant as other places," she lied. She didn't go that way because that was where her old life was. Luke was silent for a moment, coming up with his next question.

"What's the most interesting place you've ever been?" Usagi had to think about this for a moment.

"Hmm... hard to say. But I have to admit that Toschton ranks among the best!" she said truthfully.

"I'm glad," he replied, smiling broadly. "Say, Usagi," he mused, "how long are you staying here?"

"Just until tomorrow night."

"You're leaving so soon?" Luke said a little sadly. Usagi shrugged.

"Yeah, I have a lot to do. Places to go."

"Aw, you can't stay any longer than that?" he whined. She laughed.

"Afraid not. But I happen to like this place... perhaps I'll pass through here again."

"And you'll come visit us, right?"

"Of course!" Usagi smiled and looked up at the twinkling stars. They were especially bright tonight.

"Where are you staying the night?" he asked, and Usagi looked back at him, searching for a response.

_...Outside. Like I usually do._

"The inn," she lied.

"You should stay with Allison and me," he offered. "We won't make you pay for room or board!"

"...Really?" Usagi asked hopefully. It would be quite convenient if she could have shelter and nourishment free of charge.

"Yeah! Toschton doesn't often get visitors like you, you know. And we've got a couple of extra rooms."

_All right, free food! And a bed, too! I hit the jackpot tonight, _she thought. A good time, good company, and a good place to stay the night. Unusual, but lucky.

"I might just have to take you up on that, Luke," she said with a sincere smile. "Oh, and... do you have any books?"

- - -

After spending some more time at the festival, Usagi, Luke, and Allison retired to the twins' house. Their parents had passed away several years ago, and the two lived alone. They expressed how happy they were to have another person in the house, and Usagi was happy that they felt that way. She was also happy that she got to eat a lot, sleep comfortably, and read well into the night.

The next day Usagi spent with the twins, who gave her a small tour of the town and fed her quite well. In the evening they saw a play put on by a theatre troupe passing through, and Usagi enjoyed the show immensely. She would make sure to come back to Toschton, just as promised.

The young woman was very sad when she had to bid them farewell as the moon rose higher into the sky, as midnight grew near. They were also sorry to see her go, but sent her off with smiles after another hefty meal and a nice set of Allison's clothes. It truly had been an enjoyable trip, and she looked forward to their next meeting.

About a mile into the woods, heading towards her makeshift home, Usagi felt her body grow cold. She quickly stripped herself of all clothing she was wearing just in time for them not to rip as there was a flash of light, and Usagi carried the garments the rest of the way. She was able to move faster now that she had an extra pair of legs.

As soon as she got back, Usagi went to sleep. And she had another vivid dream. It took place during her earliest year of being cursed. As Usagi slept, images of one evening in the forest filled her mind.

_September, 1237_

A fourteen-year-old, human Usagi was moping around in the woods at sunset on this cool evening, feeling rather sorry for herself. It happened quite frequently.

However, she was suddenly pulled from her sullen thoughts by a strange noise, coming from somewhere behind her. The girl had always been a curious one, even though it sometimes got her in trouble. Regardless, she turned around and headed back in that direction, searching for the source of the noise.

When she saw a small bear being attacked by a wolf, a strange sense of protection and wave of anger washed over the young girl. Usagi looked around quickly for some option, wanting to help out the creature in distress. She may have been small for her age, but that girl was fierce when she wanted to be. The blonde refused to get pushed around, both before and after being cursed. Usagi wasn't about to let another small being like herself get bullied. Or eaten, more likely.

With no real solutions to this problem in sight, she broke off a branch from a nearby tree with much effort. Usagi suddenly charged the wolf, who was too occupied with the small bear to notice her coming from behind. Usagi hit the snarling carnivore on the head as hard as she could, and it collapsed to the ground with a whimper. The blonde gave the vicious animal a few more hits on the head, until it seemed to be out of commission enough to not pose a threat. She was quite proud of herself-the girl had never taken out a ferocious animal before.

The bear, who Usagi estimated to be a year or so old was heavier than it looked-than _he _looked. At least she assumed that it was a he. Usagi had expected him to be ten, maybe fifteen pounds from his cute, fuzzy appearance (and also because he was only about one and a half feet in length). But when she picked his battered body up, his thirty five pounds almost pulled her down. Not weighing much herself, it took a lot of effort for the girl to carry him just a few feet. Luckily, her pool (just discovered about a month ago) was not even a mile away, and she managed to trudge there without collapsing from exhaustion.

As a young girl, it was only natural for Usagi to want to help this cute, fuzzy creature. And so she tended to his injuries, washing the bite wounds and slashes off with water and bandaging them the best she could. The poor thing had lost a decent amount of blood, and looked quite worse for the wear. The wolf had all but mauled him, and she briefly wondered why. She had to smile at him after he fell asleep, because he was just _so adorable. _Usagi_ was_ a little wary of the beast, as he _was _a bear. Regardless of how cute he happened to be. But that didn't stop her from petting him and nursing him back to health.

He woke up quite soon after falling asleep, and surprised Usagi with how tame he seemed. And when she tried to shoo him away, to go back to where he came from, the bear refused. In fact, the animal followed her around. It seemed to _want _to be with her, and she found it strange how persistent the little thing was. She simply could _not _get him to go away! Not that she minded, he was cute and fluffy and sweet. It was just a little odd.

This continued into the next day. And Usagi couldn't help but grow fond of the ball of fuzz, and decided to name him Jack. It just seemed fitting, and when she named him as such, he seemed to approve. Jack was very smart, and Usagi would learn as years passed just how smart the animal was. She felt him nudging her arm as she leaned against a tree in her clearing, trying to get her attention. And when Usagi opened her eyes...

August 10th, 1243

...She was face to face with an enormous grizzly bear. Were she a human, she would have screamed. The mare bolted upright, eyes wide and heart racing. But after a moment, she realized that it was the one and only Jack, her friend of seven years now. Basically, her only friend. She glared at him the best she could-he _knew _that she didn't like it when he snuck up on her!

The bear acted so much like a human sometimes, that Usagi often felt that she was in real human company around him. The bear learned, after she had healed him all those seven years ago, that she was cursed and turned into a horse, and was one most of the time. He saw her change, and to Usagi's surprise, he wasn't scared by it. It was like he recognized her as Usagi through the form change anyway, and he stayed with her. Jack may have been a simple bear, but he accepted Usagi just as she was. It wasn't until two months later that he finally left, though he came back just weeks later. Ever since then, the bear had come and gone on an odd schedule. But she didn't mind. He was good company, and she didn't get much of that.

Even when they were both animals, they had fun. Sometimes they would race each other through the woods, though Usagi usually won. Jack, though he was a monstrous thing, could go a decent thirty-five miles per hour. At his best, he might reach forty. But Usagi, at her best, could do just over _fifty. _It was rare, however. Regardless, Usagi was one _fast _horse. Were she not really a human in disguise, and belonged to someone as a race horse, there would be no doubt she would win all of the competitions. But this was not the case, and never would be, if she had any say in it.

Jack's eyes were asking for some fun; he wanted to run around. But Usagi shook her head-she was much too tired. And so her bear friend flopped down on the ground next to her, almost pouting like a real person. Usagi would have sighed, were she a woman, and perhaps rolled her eyes. Instead, she joined him on the grass, put her head down, and went back to sleep. Perhaps tomorrow they could go out for a run. Usagi liked the exercise, and it was always more enjoyable with company.

A grizzly bear and a horse-woman. They were an odd pair.

- - -

August 31st, 1243

_Just one more week, _Usagi thought miserably, as the white mare. A very frustrated, angry, white mare. After having so much fun as a human last time, at the festival with Luke and Allison, she was even more sick of this form than usual. The past couple of weeks had been particularly dull, especially because Jack hadn't been around but for one day. Usagi was bored out of her mind! And she couldn't even wander around the outskirts of the forest, because the crime wave was getting worse and worse recently in this area.

She had expected this crime wave to continue being caused by people, but soon found that humans weren't the only ones in the area being violent. Usagi was aimlessly walking through the woods at the moment, still quite bored, not expecting to have any excitement in her day.

The mare heard a sudden noise, then, that struck a cord in her heart. It was the sound of a female's voice. She knew that voice-that _scream_. But it was entirely impossible that the person the voice belonged to was way out here. The shriek, nonetheless, had grabbed her attention and refused to let it go. And so Usagi listened harder, and squinted. She could make out a form through the trees...

_It can't be... _

Usagi looked with wide eyes to her left. Certainly that wasn't who she thought that was. That woman... long, light blonde hair. That pretty face, those cornflower blue eyes. Those clothes. And that expression, that look of utter terror. The stance of being frozen to the spot in fear. It was so incredibly familiar.

_No possible way... MINAKO? _

History, apparently, was repeating itself. Indeed, there stood Minako. In great peril, too, and Usagi just happened to be nearby. Granted it was further away than it had been last time, but the scene was far too nostalgic for Usagi to turn away. Her body began to move on its own accord, rushing towards the distressed princess. That girl sure did get herself in trouble a lot. How coincidental was it that both females happened to be in the same place, at the same time, in the same situation as one seven years ago?

But the white mare halted immediately in her steps when she heard a masculine yell, and saw a man move in front of Minako, brandishing a mighty sword. Usagi was again struck with shock.

_Motoki! _

Seven years had been good to the both of them. Minako was absolutely gorgeous, and Motoki was a classic, and _quite _handsome, knight in shining armor. Without the armor. But the mare saw what was coming, and resumed her gallop towards the scene. Whatever was scaring them was about to so something violent.

"Get back!" Usagi heard him shout, pushing his cousin further behind him. But before Motoki could even begin to swing his weapon, a grand, _grand _grizzly bear appeared in Usagi's vision and swatted the man aside like a fly. He went flying through the air, colliding harshly with the ground. Motoki turned to the blonde. "Run!" he shouted. But the princess only stepped back. "Minako, GO!" he managed to yell, before collapsing to the ground again, unconscious.

By this time, Usagi was nearly upon them. As the monstrous animal raised a fearsome paw to swipe at Usagi's best friend, the white animal let out a great neigh, shocking all three beings. The mare rushed up from behind the princess, raised herself on her hind legs, and pummeled her hooves down onto the bear with all her strength. The creature roared in pain, but unexpectedly rebounded. Usagi, knowing very much about wildlife in the forests, knew it was a male. And it was a _huge _male, rivaling Jack in size. It countered her attack with a mighty slash of its claws, right on the other animal's side. The mare whinnied, expressing her own agony as blood began to flow from the dangerous wound.

She stumbled backwards, trying to regain her footing. The bear wasn't expecting her to recover so quickly. But, as Usagi was defending people she very much cared about, she had extra strength and a strong will to fight. She was a loyal friend, and she'd be damned before she let any harm come to either Minako or Motoki. Before the grizzly could attack again, she rammed him square in the chest with her head. Now it was his turn to stumble, falling back onto his hind legs. The mare again brought her feet down, but now upon the bear's _face_. He whimpered, but managed to roll back up and swiftly attack the horse before she had any chance to react.

Where was Jack when you needed him?

The bear, with his extra momentum, tore his claws through Usagi's flesh as he gripped her shoulders, pulling her down. With a loud thump, she hit the ground. The bear took the opportunity to cut a great gash down the mare's back, and she cried out in almost a human-like way. In a desperate attempt to get out of the way from the sharp claws, Usagi rolled to the side. Unfortunately, the bear managed to get several hits in on her legs as she did so, only making more places where red blood stained her brilliant white body. But Usagi never was one to give up.

The white horse leapt up from her lying position, and immediately rammed her head against the bear's jaw. It hurt her a great deal, but she heard a great crack come from the bear's head. She'd either broken or dislocated its jaw. It fell to the side with a whimper, and Usagi used the time to turn around and face Minako.

Motoki, who was just coming back from being knocked out, saw the weak mare nudging his princess backwards, away from the battle arena. He weakly stood up, and stumbled over to the young woman that was looking at the horse with astonishment.

"Minako, we have to get out of here, hurry!"

"We can't leave the horse, Motoki! Look at all the blood!" she cried, overcome with a strange sympathy for the animal. Something about the white horse stirred that feeling in her heart, though she didn't know why. But the man would have none of it. They had been given a miracle, and the miracle had both saved them and was telling them to go. He wasn't in any position to not oblige.

"Sorry, but we have to go. Don't make me take you by force like last time!" Flashes of the past came back to Minako, of that day seven years ago. Tears welled in her eyes from the memory, and she reluctantly allowed her cousin to lead her away. Usagi watched sadly as her two friends-her _only _two human friends-walked out of her life, leaving it for the second time. But she whirled around, shaken from her reverie, when a deep groan caught her attention.

Then, something else caught her attention as the bear was very slowly getting up. Right next to her... was Motoki's forgotten sword. She knew that she had no skills with the thing, but... maybe she didn't need them.

Picking the weapon up by the hilt with her _teeth, _Usagi moved her head down and to the side, and prepared to swing it at the bear. If she could manage to swing it, fling it, or whatever-maybe she could delay the creature long enough to escape. She only hoped her teeth wouldn't fall out first. As soon as the bear had managed to regain its footing, Usagi whipped her head to the right, managing to just catch the bear's skin and get a decent cut in. It roared, leaning back on its haunches, and Usagi sped off. Running away was a perfectly acceptable thing to do in this situation.

Not too soon after, she heard it begin to take chase. And while she was a wounded horse, he was a wounded bear. And bears were not as fast as horses. At least not in this case, because Usagi successfully managed to escape him, and immediately headed for her pool. Its minor healing abilities might just save her life.

For an entire week, Usagi would have to rest and try hard to let her wounds heal themselves as best they could, until she became a woman again and able to use agile fingers to tend to the injuries. She wouldn't go to other humans for help; Usagi had learned the lesson long ago that they were not to be trusted, though there were a scant number of exceptions. She'd have to risk it and heal on her own.

But she never had been good at waiting.

After just two days, Usagi was sick of lounging around and eating _grass. _She hated grass. The green plant was practically the bane of her existence. Next to that woman who had cursed her. That woman was bad. But grass... it pulled in at a very close second.

And so, Usagi had made the stupid decision to start moving around again. Her usual, great self-control had slipped and she quit trying to stay put. The wounds, which had just completely scabbed over and begun to close, just _begun _to close, developed little splits without her noticing it. In fact, the triple-slash on her side was becoming infected. And yet, she had no idea. The pool kept it from getting too bad, and kept the wounds from completely splitting open.

But Usagi didn't notice that she wasn't healing any further, and that her injuries were actually getting a little bigger. She figured the twinges she felt were just healing pains, not the wounds stretching and splitting open further, extending themselves in length and size in general.

Thus, Usagi began to go about her days as usual. On the night before her 'change,' she had been distracted by her activities; exploring the far edge of her woods that she hadn't been to in a long while. Yes, it did happen a lot. And so, she hadn't noticed how late it was until it was very close to midnight. Naturally, she began to feel scared. Walking that distance to her medical supplies and her only attempt at medicine was going to be hard as a small, naked, injured female. She'd have to make the trek now, and fast. And so, Usagi ran. The exercise, however, did not do her very good.

There were many miles between her and that place, and Usagi would have to seriously book it to make it there in time to become a woman where it was safe, and where healing was possible. Death was not a possibility that she would consider.

- - -

September 6th, 1243

Just as soon as Usagi entered the clearing that she called home, she'd felt 'the chill,' and changed, midnight having arrived and a new day beginning. And as soon as a girl was in the place of the mare, she collapsed. Usagi lay there for a few minutes, catching her breath. She'd just run a few miles, and she was seriously exhausted. But Usagi couldn't stay there, as she was bleeding quite generously from her thigh and a little from her side.

"Uuuungh..."

Crawling to her tree, Usagi weakly retrieved her scarce medical supplies from the hole at the bottom, hoping she could fix herself up before she might, say, _die_, or something.

"OHGOD," Usagi gasped. It hurt _so _bad. Wrapping the white cloth painfully tight, she bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. If she ever saw Minako again, that girl better run. Because when Usagi got her hands on that princess...

Oh, it would be very satisfying.

Usagi was quite mad at Minako for getting in trouble all the time. The injured girl cursed out loud. That princess would be the death of her. And Minako had no idea. Usagi yelped when the threaded needle went through her skin.

This was hell. Minako better watch her back. And Motoki better start doing his job and not let Minako go into forests like that, ridden with wild animals. Being able to trample and outrun such animals was just fine for her, but _they_ couldn't do that. That's why Usagi was relatively safe. Relatively. But she was getting quite good with a dagger... the one that she _borrowed _from an unsuspecting man a few years ago. Perhaps she would practice her skills on Minako.

"Ooooooh, that's just lovely," Usagi gritted out, having just accidentally poked the needle into her wound on her side, instead of across it. She had to practice her sewing. Maybe she'd rip some clothes on purpose. Or not, because they probably had tears all over them anyway.

A breeze blew through the clearing, chilling her bare skin and stinging her opening wound. It remained closed for the most part, only splitting a little on the ends and at the very center where it was deepest.

"Ohssshhhhit," she hissed, and worked faster. This earned her several more accidental pokes, but Usagi got the job done. It wasn't very good, as she only had experience with clothes and a minor cut a few years back. Not three slashes on her side. Sewing up her thigh had been worse, though. Usagi was glad she'd done that part first.

This healing process and more bandaging continued on for a while, as did the curses. After a while she passed out, from both more blood loss, pain, and exhaustion form lack of both sleep _and _food, and she remained like so for nearly three hours.

- - -

At almost three in the morning, Usagi awoke with the most dreadful headache. Her body ached, as well. Everywhere. But there was no use lying there and fretting about it. She was tired, yes. Exhausted in general. But her hunger was overwhelming, with her having eaten nothing but grass for the past week. Usagi was also very dehydrated. And since she hated grass, she hadn't eaten much of it.

Usagi grimaced as she stumbled to her feet, then headed on wobbly legs to the tree and drew out a tattered cloak from inside. It was time to get something _good _to eat. And perhaps get someone to give her medical aide for free. Unlikely, but she would try.

The young woman cautiously put the cloth around her shoulders, and slipped it on with another cringe. The fabric was rough against her vulnerable injuries and the tender flesh around them. Regardless, Usagi put it on, but not without a scowl. She tied it shut with lazy hands; the cloak was more like a robe, really, which she was glad for. It was hard enough to put that on; Usagi wasn't even going to try pants and a shirt. So, the cloak being like a robe and tying shut was good, as she wasn't wearing anything else underneath. It just wouldn't do for the garment to blow open and expose her nakedness.

The blonde looked around a bit, trying to decide on which direction to go. Randomly turning towards the northeast, Usagi set her feet in motion and began to move. She went on walking for a good half an hour before anything out of the ordinary happened.

Something in the corner of Usagi's vision caught her attention. Stopping in her tracks in her journey northeast, her head turned to the right with great interest. What she saw was quite intriguing. There was a bright orange light a distance off in the forest, and after squinting a little, she could make it out to be a fire-probably. It was the only light that could really exist in the forest. A torch wouldn't be as bright, not to mention a candle or lantern. She supposed it would have to be an all-out bonfire.

God _damn_, she was cold. And as such, the fact that people might be around this heat did not occur to her-people who were not very nice. Like a moth to the flame, Usagi was drawn to the blaze in the distance. It was only about a half mile away, but the fire's size and intensity managed to shine nonetheless through the thick wood, its light weaving between the mass of trees and into her tired eyes. Those eyes, however, lit up from both the fire and from excitement as she started towards the scene, at a light jog. Couldn't have those cuts opening again. She was already worried that there was an infection on her side, having finally been alerted to it while doing the stitches.

She slowed about ten yards or so from the large clearing, not wanting to stumble upon any other people. Stealth was currently her best friend. And so she hid behind a rather large tree, her small frame completely concealed behind it. Trees were also her friends, at least right now. Cautiously peering around the trunk, Usagi observed the setting.

The large fire, nearly four feet in diameter, was feeding off of a massive amount of wood. It looked like the place had been home to that fire for a long time, perhaps each night it was lit with some extra firewood. But the brilliant orange, red, and yellow in front of her was not what really made her happy. She could almost feel the heat from the fire, which was quite nice; the usually cool air was simply freezing tonight and she had next to no clothes. Not to mention the chill stung her barely-healing wounds.

What made Usagi's eyes widen and a child-like grin of sweet happiness come to her face was the _food_. Around the fire lay remnants of what seemed to have been a rather large meal, carelessly scattered around. There were cooked vegetables, and some sort of meat.

_Whoa, wait a second... meat?_ she thought, analyzing it further.

_MEAT._

Usagi hadn't had meat in... at least one year. Oh, it looked so delicious! She could feel the tasty food in her mouth already, and smell the scrumptious dish that hadn't even reached her nose. The girl hadn't eaten much the last few months, and felt more ravenous then ever right now, staring at the left-overs of a hearty feast.

The fire and food were not just out in the open, however. There were several, rather large boulders in the area. The largest of which was directly across from her, tall and with a flat face. Various objects cluttered the makeshift wall, which had somehow gotten nails-or something-drilled into it. There were pots and pans, shirts and pants (which looked wet, they were probably drying), heavy-looking bags (money, perhaps?), and a few _very warm _looking cloaks.

Usagi was totally hitting up this place. Not for her own profit-she was no criminal. For her own _survival. _Starvation and freezing to death were not things she desired. The blonde was already sleep deprived; she could at least get some food and warmth.

And just her luck-the place was completely abandoned. Save for one, _sleeping _figure situated near the largest boulder, lying on their side and facing away from the blonde. It appeared to be a woman who was bundled up quite comfortably in a bunch of soft blankets. Her head was adorned with long, silver hair that was tied back and resting on a thin pillow. Her breathing was slow, and Usagi could tell that she was very much asleep.

_Good, _Usagi thought. If she could sneak past more than one, very awake person (she had done so before, many times), then she could get past one single, sleeping woman. Usagi slowly came out from behind the tree, accidentally brushing her right arm against the trunk right on a wound. She let out a quiet hiss of pain, trying to remain as silent as possible. Continuing on, the blonde crept forward towards the campsite, stopping every few steps to ensure the woman was still in slumber.

Finally, she had reached the edge of the clearing. Stopping again, this time to calm and compose herself, she moved forward very gradually towards the sleeper. Usagi crept silently around said woman, and ever so slowly let her hand reach out to grab a cloak hanging on the wall. She felt bad enough stealing this-so she would let the other clothes be. Usagi glanced down at the person below her, and barely stopped a gasp. It wasn't a woman, it was a _man!_

She shook her head, telling herself it didn't matter-even though any males over the age of, say, _fifteen, _made her nervous. He seemed to be older than that. How much, the blonde didn't know. But she didn't intend to find out, either. She tossed the cloak over her shoulder and let it hang there, so that she could use both of her hands again.

Going back around the silver-haired... _man_, Usagi crept next to the food. There were dirty dishes and utensils and empty bottles of alcohol scattered about-the people must have finished their dinner quite recently, and left this one man to watch the fire. He sure was doing a good job, with his eyes closed and all. Usagi rolled her eyes; not like it was _her _problem.

The young woman noticed that there were also cloth napkins around, and she snatched one up. Taking a sharp-looking knife, Usagi slowly cut some meat off of the large chunk of pork suspended on a stick near to the fire. It had once been a pig or something like that, roasted over the fire, and she was glad it didn't resemble one anymore. She couldn't help but lick her lips at the thought of getting to eat a real meal soon. One with meat.

Next, she shifted over to a pan with left-over vegetables. She plucked some warm pieces of potato out of the pan, and also some carrots (as much as she disliked them), squash, and some other thing she didn't recognize. After all, she hadn't been in the real world for seven years and was a tad out of the loop.

All of the food was dropped into the napkin, which Usagi had fashioned into a bag/pouch thing, as best as she could. She pulled the corners in, securing the food inside this bag of hers for easy transport to a safer place. Standing from her kneeling position, Usagi glanced back at the man one last time before taking a step back from the way she came.

But Usagi's life had always been cursed with misfortune, and it wasn't going to start getting lucky now.

Only on her third step away, Usagi stepped on a plate she hadn't seen. The fork and knife on the plate clattered together and against the plate, making a loud clinking noise.

The sleeping man's eyes snapped open, and he had turned around in a second. When his eyes fell upon her, they narrowed and his brows drew together in anger.

"Who the hell are _you?"_

_-_

_-_

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Tada! That was fun to write, hmm. Next chapter is even better, yes. And I just finished polishing up a delicious scene. I don't think this story will have to have the rating upped. Maybe for language, haha. Yeah... it's in there, as you may have noticed. And there's still more to come.

Hurray for Seiya coming into the story next chapter! I heart him.

Laters!


	3. First Impressions

Disclaimer: Nope

Notes: Hum de dum. I love, _love _this chapter.

Hearts to Krish who sort-of proofread this for me! Have a truffle, Krish.

Enjoy.

Posted 1/12/07

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**Under the Full Moon**

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Summary: A young woman cursed seven years ago was forced into a lonely life of isolation, losing all that she had once held dear. But after a chance meeting in the moonlight, her sad story becomes an enchanted tale of romance. Seiya/Usagi.

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**Chapter Three: First Impressions **

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September 6th, 1243

Usagi, struck with fear, did not respond. For a moment she was frozen to the spot, after whirling around to face the man glaring at her. When he noticed the cloak on Usagi's shoulder and the parcel in her right hand, he sat up straight and hastily began to disentangle himself from the blankets, his gaze never leaving her.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing? Put those down right now!" he yelled, still fumbling around for freedom. The girl feared that others would come to the scene from his outburst, and that would be major trouble for her if she didn't get away. The man eventually scrambled to his feet, and Usagi finally found the will to move returning again. But still, she could only take a few steps back.

"I _said, _put those down!" When she didn't, and only retreated a little more, he called out loudly, "Thief! Thief at the campsite!"

Usagi bolted.

As she ran, she heard shouts from behind her. Obviously the rest of the group had been rather close and just arrived, and now were about to track her down. Or at least she guessed as much. Usagi heard the rustling of leaves and branches, but not as much as she had expected. Only one of them was behind her. Her tuned senses told her this. She'd had seven years to refine them, and they certainly didn't dim in the face of danger-their power flared.

There was only one person. They were not extremely close behind, but they were fast. If she didn't come up with a plan and execute it quickly, they would catch up. The heavy footfalls suggested a man was following her, and he was probably a tad angry. Who wouldn't be? She'd basically just robbed them. But hey, survival of the fittest, right? So Usagi had to do it, and didn't regret it. She only regretted getting caught.

This was one of the few times she actually wished she was not human. The mare could be gone in a flash, vanishing before someone could capture her. But she wasn't that faster being right now. The young woman was weaker, tired, hungry, cold, and severely injured.

_Oh, shit. _

Usagi felt the wound on her left calf tear open, and she cried out in pain as she stumbled. She felt the blood rolling down her skin, and felt a searing pain shoot up the entire leg. But she was strong enough not to limp too much-she couldn't afford to slow down. Regardless of her tiredness, she was still extremely physically fit. After all, she ran so much and her life required an intense amount of exercise. And so, her leg muscles still served to push her onward, though their propelling force was just a little weaker.

Unfortunately, the slice on her right thigh decided to open just then, making both of her legs' injuries disable the girl. At least the three gashes on her ribs were still closed. Also closed were the cuts on her right shoulder, upper arm, lower arm, hip, and ankle, and her left shoulder, upper arm, and the junction between her shoulder and neck. Oh, and the gigantic slashes on her back where the bear had so mercilessly swiped his claws against Usagi's flesh.

God, what a mess she was.

Two of the four worst wounds had opened, and she couldn't do so much more with another blood loss session on the forest floor. Stitching herself up once (and very unskillfully done) had been hard enough, and she'd passed out from the pain afterwards. After the fight with the bear, she'd run just over three miles in under fifteen minutes, galloping as the white mare. Naturally, the run had made her lose a ton of blood, and recovering had taken a while. It was a bit difficult to do, especially since she couldn't do much to help herself as a horse. She suffered a week with only the minor healing her pool provided.

But, since it'd taken so long so fix herself up when she _finally _became human again, the blood kept flowing because of them re-opening. After the stitches, the pain, tiredness, and blood loss, she had simply fainted. Usagi lay on that forest floor all through the next three hours or so, before finally finding enough strength to get up, pull on a cloak, and hobble towards... anywhere that she could get food. But man, did those cuts hurt.

The bruises weren't so bad, certainly not deadly like her cuts. God, how Usagi hated bears. Well, that bear. She wasn't a scratching post!

After nearly tripping over a large root, Usagi's already twisted ankle twisted again, then gave out, and she crashed to the forest floor. Landing on her bandaged right side, she couldn't stop the scream that was ripped from her throat. As much pain as she was in, she knew that lying this way wasn't going to help her. And so, Usagi rolled with a groan onto her back, so that only one nasty cut was pressed against the ground, and it was a closed one.

And so she lay there, gasping for breath and in pain on the cool floor of the autumn forest.

Had she not been so occupied with gathering energy to check on her injuries, Usagi might have noticed that the sound of her follower had died out, and that 'he' was nowhere to be seen. But that wasn't because he had stopped trying to catch her, but because he was the leader of that group; the group of bandits. They were quite practiced in the art of sneaking, and did it for a living. Sort of like Usagi. But more thief-like. Thus, he was only creeping up on her from the side now, silently stalking her through the trees.

The man had been close enough to Usagi when she had fallen, and he'd immediately ducked behind a tree close by. While he couldn't see the blonde now, he could hear her breathing, and he continued to sneak up on her. No one stole from his group, _no one_. They were the thieves, not her.

Not that the man was a bad person, certainly not. But he didn't take shit from people. He was tough, and could be harsh when he wanted to be. Sometimes cruelty was inevitable. Most of the time he was a friendly, easygoing kind of guy. He joked around with his friends and loved having a good time. Sometimes a good time for them was stealing, but such was the life of an outlaw. They didn't pick on the unfortunate, though. They found their happiness in robbing the rich, and in a philanthropist-like fashion, giving to the poor... sometimes. Usually they just kept it for themselves, as they weren't exactly obligated to serve the bourgeoisie.

But that man could hold a grudge. And he wasn't used to getting messed with. People respected him, and did what he told them to do (except for a select few members of his group, but that was another story). So when a person crossed him, he wasn't likely to let them off easily. He hadn't exactly seen the person who he was chasing, though. It was dark in the forest, regardless of the bright moon in the sky. The trees were thick here, and close together, blocking out a lot of light.

When he had finally gotten close to the female thief, still very hidden behind a tree, he glanced at her. His back was pressed flat against the trunk, and he only turned himself so slightly to get a closer look. While he didn't have a clear shot, he did make out her form on the ground. She was breathing hard, naturally, from the chase. A small woman like her couldn't possibly be an athlete. It made for easy prey. He had no qualms against picking on people not his size when they'd really done something bad to him or his group, not when it was something so personal. That was his _favorite_ cloak.

He smirked. He did that a lot. The man hadn't had some real fun in a few days; letting it out on bad people always did the trick. He wasn't going to violate her or anything; criminal or not, he still had some morals. Always respect women-that was what his mother had taught him. Regardless of what they did to you. And although he _was _a criminal, he did have dignity. But that didn't mean he couldn't mess with her and take his stuff back. And threats were some of his favorite things. He wouldn't hurt the girl, but toying with her was a different story. But other members of his group might do worse.

In one fluid motion, he left his hiding spot and came into Usagi's view; except her eyes were squinched shut. She heard his step, but couldn't move. She still needed to rest enough to sit up, and as soon as she could. Hopefully he would just take the things and leave her there, then she might be fine. She turned her head to the right, away from where he stood. Usagi tried to slow her breathing, to calm herself. And also hopefully, she could get up now and make sure her stitches and bandages were intact. If only he could just leave first...

"It's a bad idea to steal from people who steal for a living," he said in an angry, deep voice. The harsh tone made Usagi realize that he probably wasn't just going to leave. And as a bonus, she wouldn't have the clothing or food she'd just acquired.

_Why the hell does my life have to suck so much? _she thought bitterly. _Oh, that's right, I'm a nice person and wanted to save my friend. I should become a bad person, it'd be good for me. _

The man took one step foward, and was now about ten feet from Usagi.

"Especially from the people you just stole from. We don't take well to other groups."

_What the hell? _Usagi had no idea what he was talking about. A group? What kind of group could she belong-_Oh God. He thinks I'm from an opposing... gang, or something. An outlaw trying to infiltrate his territory. Oh, shit. Shit. I'm going to be beaten up, raped, and murdered. Why? Why me? Oh, shit. Shitshitshit. _She cringed at the thought and tried to turn her body from him, but the rolling motion to her side was not a good idea.

"Shit," she groaned, feeling a dreadful squish and her arm become wet.

"Yes, you are in _deep_ shit. Now tell me, who sent you?" he said, a little more frustrated. Usagi's breathing quickened when the pain intensified, and she began to feel lightheaded.

_No... nonono. I can't pass out now. Stay awake, Usagi. Consciousness is your friend. Do NOT pass out. You have to close the cuts. Blood is best kept INSIDE the body. Get up. Get up get up get up. _

Perhaps she was stronger than she thought, because despite all her pain and weakness, she managed to force her arms into action and hoist herself into a sitting position. With her shaking right arm holding her up, she swung her left arm around and leaned on it as well. Usagi's back was to the increasingly angry man, hunched over with her legs bent still on the ground. She gritted her teeth as she began to straighten up.

"I asked you a question, woman. Answer me!"

No response. The man had an urge to kick her because of his building rage. People _always _did what he told them to do.

"Stand up," he commanded. When she didn't comply, he yelled at her. "Stand UP!"

Still, she did not do as he said. With a growl he walked in powerful strides and shot his right hand out towards her. Grabbing her left upper arm, he roughly yanked her up. Unknowingly, his hand had closed tightly around a deep cut in Usagi's flesh. For the umpteenth time that night, Usagi cried out in pain.

"_Answer _my _question._" Yet again, she did not reply. Maintaining his narrowed gaze, the man violently tossed her aside and she crumpled to the ground. When she hit it, the force rolled her over and she ended up facing him for the first time.

With a great effort she opened her eyes, and glared at the bandit with all her anger. He had his left hand on his hip, and the other balled into a tight fist. His face was contorted almost into a snarl, and she tried to channel the terror building inside of her into a powerful hate.

He had jet black hair, nearly blending into the night. It was tied back, most likely to keep it out of the way due to its length. His eyes were a striking blue, currently directing a hell of a lot of bad vibes towards Usagi. He was tall, relatively well built, and his stance suggested a strong fury. Loose black pants covered black boots, both below his white shirt with baggy sleeves. Had she not wanted to pretty much stab him in the face, she might have thought him quite handsome. At the moment, being someone she didn't like at all, he wasn't exactly dashing.

The clear image of him before her eyes became a little fuzzy, and she blinked the blurriness away. This was not a good sign.

"Now you see here, I've never been a patient man. And whatever patience I have for you is swiftly deteriorating. I _suggest_ you _cooperate_," he growled out. When she still did nothing, he grabbed something from his belt, which was hidden under his shirt, and held it up so she could see. It was a very sharp, gleaming knife. Too big to be a dagger, but much to small for a sword. But it did its job in scaring her. The outlaw pointed it towards Usagi in a threatening gesture.

"I assure you that I am not a man with many morals. I am not above using force to get what I want." It was an empty threat, of course. But she didn't know that. Stalking towards her with a gleam in his eyes, the man focused on his knife as he deftly rotated it in his grasp-in a position to stab. But when he looked at his hand, he noticed something unusual.

It was dripping with blood. His brows furrowed together in confusion, and he switched his knife to his other hand to examine it further.

Usagi suddenly felt an itching in her dry throat, and coughed violently onto the fallen leaves and her exposed arm. When her eyes opened wearily, she saw red staining her flesh, splattered there from her cough. The metallic taste in her mouth told Usagi that her condition was rapidly getting worse.

_Damn him! It wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't... _she coughed again, more crimson liquid coming out of her mouth. With a groan, she turned her angry, and yet pained eyes towards the man who was not focused on her anymore.

"I'm not... with anyone..." Usagi fought back another heaving cough. "You... _bastard..._" she spat. That got his attention. He looked at her, but not as upset. He was more confused now, seeing her blood-covered skin, and noticing how several parts of her cloak were deeply stained. As much of a jerk as he was, the man was a sucker for people in need of help. And considering how soaked his hand was, with the blood that must have gushed out of her arm now streaking down his own, he inferred that she wasn't doing so well. He dismissed the insult, and approached her more slowly.

"Whoa... what's wrong with you?" he said, a little rudely.

"Con... sidering how you just th-threw me on the ground, n-not... so much..." _feeling well, _she tried to say. But Usagi's vision was unfocusing again, and she fought hard to keep it in check.

"Hey, are you okay?" It was more concerned, and he got a little closer to her.

"What do... _you _think?" she shot back, before another wave of pain hit her. "Oh _shit..._" Usagi couldn't hold herself up at all any longer, and fell face-down into the leaf-covered ground. She managed to turn her head back towards him, as to not suffocate.

"Uh... do you need some help?" he said with genuine concern, putting his knife away and bending down.

"No. Not from y-uuugh..." Usagi's breaths were becoming more shallow, and ragged. "Just ta... take your things, and... go _away_." She knew she shouldn't be talking, but she really, _really _needed this jerk to leave. She didn't want to risk being taken advantage of if he knew she was weak. It had almost happened to her once, and she was never going to change that again.

"You're lucky that _I_ chased after you, some of the others wouldn't be so nice," he grumbled. He was being too soft, and ruining his reputation as a ruthless outlaw. With a sigh, he knelt next to Usagi. "Come on, up with you." He reached for her, but she snarled at him, thinking he had very nasty intentions.

"Don't touch me!" she croaked, her voice dripping with venom.

"Whoa, I'm not going to hurt you!" he vehemently shot back. "You need some serious help, so work with me here."

She didn't trust him, not at all. But she found she didn't really have a choice, as when she tried to pull away from him, nothing happened. She had lost all power to move her body, and prayed that he wasn't a bad man. Oh, she prayed hard.

"All right, come here." The man very cautiously took her by the shoulders, and began to lift her towards him. He had to reposition his hands as her turned her over, as she'd hissed and grimaced when he'd grabbed her shoulders. And her upper arms. After much effort and testing to see where he could put his hands (nowhere inappropriate, of course) without hurting her so much, he successfully rolled her over and pulled her into his lap. How wet his hands were was a very discomforting fact. Had she taken a _bath _in blood?

"Okay, I'm picking you up now, you ready?" She didn't respond, mainly because she couldn't. She was concentrating all her energy on staying conscious. All Usagi did was cringe. "...I'll take that as a yes."

Very slowly, the man put his left arm under her back and his right under her knees. It took a little readjusting on her back, to avoid the gash there.

"Damn, woman, how many cuts do you _have?_" Her response was just a groan, and he assumed that meant a lot. He nearly cringed himself when he looked at the spot where she had been, rather where he'd thrown her, now stained with fresh blood-a lot of it. He would have to apologize for that later.

Finally, he stood up, slowly lifting them both off of the ground. Usagi's eyes remained shut tightly, and she tried to keep her breathing steady. Survival was a key concept at the moment.

"Here we go," he said as he turned around, in the direction of the camp. As he took a step, regardless of how smooth the man tried to walk, it still moved her a little in his arms. The movement hurt, and she clenched her teeth to keep herself quiet. "Hang in there, I'll get you some help." Again, she said nothing.

They continued on at a fast walk, as any faster would jostle the injured female too much. The man knew there must be blood all over his shirt, especially on the sleeves. And on his hands. He was getting pretty soaked. Oh well, he had other shirts. The food and cloak had been forgotten, and still lay on the forest floor some distance away.

"Oh, and by the way," he said, trying to make the situation less tense, "I'm Seiya."

Usagi breathed in deeply, and managed to wheeze out, "Usaaa..." before having another coughing fit. This time she managed to keep her mouth closed. It was really disgusting.

"Ah... never mind. You can tell me later, Usa-something." If she could, Usagi would have rolled her eyes.

"..." was her answer.

- - -

Usagi had no idea how she held out for the next ten minutes, but she somehow managed to hold onto consciousness. When they'd reached the camp, she felt a sudden, very strong feeling of anxiety wash over her. She had a hunch that the others weren't going to welcome her too warmly. If what 'Seiya' said was right, then some of the others weren't so nice. Even in her hazy state, she felt fear prickling under her cold skin.

While Usagi couldn't really see anything through her half-open and unfocused eyes, she could hear the crackling of the fire as they arrived, and felt the wonderful heat it brought. She was so cold... the chill in the air made the her body even cooler than it was from the blood loss. Situated around the fire were five men and three women; the other thirteen members of the group were scattered elsewhere. When Seiya entered the scene, all eyes were on him and the... pretty much _dying _girl he'd brought with him.

"Seiya, what the hell-" said the man with silver hair.

"Taiki," Seiya cut him off, "I think we're going to need that first aid kit." Without a word, the addressed man nodded and jogged away, but not without a shocked and quite confused expression. Usagi wasn't going to stay conscious much longer, as blood was still flowing out of her body. Unfortunately, Seiya wasn't very educated in the area of medicine, and hadn't really noticed it. The man with silver hair angrily lept to his feet, and spoke quite irritated.

"Seiya, you aren't supposed to _help_ people who rob you! Are you _stupid?_" But one glare from the leader put the other man in his place, and he dropped back to his seat. Even he didn't want to get on Seiya's bad side, both because of his loyalty and because he wasn't an idiot. Well, sometimes he was.

"Yaten, make a bed over there, and shut up while you're at it," Seiya said, gesturing with his head to a spot that was a distance from the fire. Usa-something would need to be lying down for Taiki to fix her up. Yaten nodded, and proceeded to do so quite rapidly. But the time Seiya had gotten to where Yaten was, there was a suitable number of blankets gathered, as well as a pillow. Not too bad at all.

"Easy does it," Seiya said as he lowered Usagi. As he placed her onto the "bed," the other seven had crowded around. A woman with short, sandy-blonde hair spoke.

"Holy shit, Seiya, what did you _do?_ Don't you think that was a little harsh?"

"I hope you don't really think _I_ did this, Haruka. It would be quite upsetting if your opinion of me was so low," he growled. The tall woman backed off; he was obviously in a very bad mood. She usually teased him a lot, as did Yaten, but not when he was mad-it just wasn't something you should do. She and Seiya didn't always get along, though she wasn't afraid of him. But she did respect the guy, as a man and as their leader. Even if their fights were just as frequent as their meals. She really enjoyed taunting the man.

"Look, Taiki's back," she said, changing the subject. The small crowd backed up as the tall man rushed into the scene, bending down on the other side of Usagi, across from Seiya.

"I don't really know what happened, she was like this when I found her. But she's in pretty bad shape," Seiya said. He didn't mention that he was part of the reason for that. "So, ah, think you can fix her up?" he added, getting down to business right away.

"Maybe, but I don't know the extent of her injuries," Taiki replied. "I'm going to need some space..."

"I'm sure you all can find something else to do, hmm?" Seiya said, but they knew it was a command. As they were leaving, Taiki undid the cloak and slowly began to open it...

"Aaah!" he exclaimed with horrible embarrassment, yanking it shut immediately. She was _naked! _"Um, Seiya..."

"Hmm?" he replied obliviously, having been observing his own bloody outfit.

"...She's not wearing any clothes."

"What? Yes she is," he replied. "Though that thing is pretty gross right now."

"I meant underneath. It's... a little awkward." Seiya looked at Taiki with an odd expression. _Naked? _That was... weird.

"...Oh." Seiya said after a moment, then paused. "I suppose you're right," he agreed. Seiya looked at the retreating backs, and settled on one of the three females. "Makoto," he called out, "can you come here for a second?" Surprised, the woman turned around and did as he had asked.

"Yes?"she answered, bending down next to him.

"Can you... er, help us a bit?"

"You mean help _me_ a bit, right, Seiya?" Taiki cut in.

"What?" Seiya asked with confusion, looking at the nervous man across him. Taiki was still feeling uncomfortable with the situation.

"Sorry, but... I don't think it's, er, _appropriate, _for you to, you know. I mean, I'm sort of a doctor, so..." Seiya took the hint.

"Fine, fine. But it's still weird for her with you doing it."

"Not really," Makoto said. "She kind of passed out." Taiki's eyes widened and he stared at Usagi.

"Oh, that's not good," Taiki said worriedly. He looked at Seiya, who sighed, then reluctantly left. He was not reassured by Taiki's words.

"So," Makoto said when it was only the two of them and Usagi, "why do you need my help?"

"Well, she's basically... completely... unclothed, under this thing here. With bloodstains."

"Oh, my."

"Indeed. Anyway, I need you to, er, use some of your bandanas or something here to cover her up a bit. I may be a doctor, but this is still pretty awkward..."

"All right. You can just, look somewhere else now, okay?"

"Oh, I _will,"_ he said and turned around.

Makoto turned to Usagi, concern on her face. She pulled open the cloak, and gasped at the sight. Blood, both dry and fresh, was all over the girl's body. There were numerous gashes, both deep and shallow, long and short, covering her small frame. And she was totally _covered _in bruises. The brunette wondered what could have done this damage.

"Oh my God..." she said, quickly taking the cloth from her arms and placing it across Usagi's chest, then on top of the space in between the girl's hips. They barely managed to cover the blonde, and Makoto might have to hold them in place at some times.

"Okay, Taiki, my stuff doesn't do much of a job, but I don't think we have time for modesty."

Taiki turned around. He was shocked from both Usagi's injuries and her nakedness. His face was flaming as he rummaged through the materials he had. The man hadn't seen a woman so naked before, and his reaction corresponded.

"Makoto, I think I have a job for you." He would recover from his embarrassment by getting to work immediately. "She needs to have these bandaged right away. There's bandages here, you can start wrapping these wounds. Start with the ones that are bleeding profusely."

Makoto felt sick. And she wasn't squeamish. Bleeding _profusely, _they certainly were. But she picked up the bandages anyway.

"When you're done with that, and after I've dealt with each cut, you can clean them. You can get some water and some cloth then, or something?" Makoto nodded while wrapping each wound.

Taiki looked at Usagi sympathetically, full of both worry and anxiety.

"I don't know how you managed to get like this, but I promise I'll try my hardest to make you better." He shook his head, a bit discouraged. "First of all, let's patch this one up..." Taiki, after cleaning the area around the cut on Usagi's ribs with disinfectant (it was the worst at the moment), took up his needle and string made for this purpose in hand. He was sort of glad she was unconscious, because this would really hurt otherwise.

"Looks like some animal attacked her, these lesions on the ribs resemble slashes made by claws or sharp teeth, or rather fangs. My first thought would be some sort of canine, but these lacerations everywhere are too much like scrapes rather than bites."

"Wait, there aren't any bite marks, are there?"

"No puncture wounds so far. Definitely something with claws."

"A wildcat?" Makoto suggested. "Sorry, I don't know much about animals, except for the ones I cook."

"A large cat, quite possibly. But a big one, and a very angry one. I don't think just a bobcat could do it, they're just overgrown cats, really. I'd say it was more likely to be a mountain lion."

"Wow, this chick is tough! How did she manage to get away from one of those, she's so small..."

"Actually," he said after a moment of thinking, "I've changed my mind. They're much too wide for cat claws." He cringed as he took in the other injuries. "This was done by a bear, I'm certain of it."

"A _bear?_"

"Yes. Either a grizzly or large black bear, those claws were large."

"Good God!" Makoto's eyes were wide. "...Maybe she's an expert knife fighter?"

"...Somehow I doubt that."

It took a long time for the two to deal with each injury. Unbeknownst to both Seiya and Usagi, a few more of her cuts had opened during the walk. But neither would find that out, as Taiki was rather good dealing with injuries. His medical training hadn't been too extensive, but it was enough for a man in his career.

Taiki had begun with the wound on Usagi's side, and discovered, while wrapping it afterwards, the gash on Usagi's back. He did that one immediately, and finally could wrap her entire torso. This was especially good for him, as it covered Usagi up a little more. Taiki had to stitch half of them shut, as that many wounds required stitches.

It was a very organized process, after the first few minutes, when the two had gotten in sync. After all the bleeding cuts were wrapped, Makoto used water and a soft towel to clean the blood off of Usagi, gently dabbing around the wounds-after each was stitched. Makoto would bandage the cut, then Taiki would get to it and stitch it, then Makoto would clean and wrap it up again.

Yes, it had taken a long time.

When it was done, Taiki and Makoto took deep breaths and smiled at each other, proud of their accomplishment. Usagi would be just fine, though it would take a long time for her to heal. But they were up for the challenge. They also were very up for washing their hands and changing their clothes.

After the brief and mild celebration Makoto suddenly shooed Taiki away, telling him to go get Rei and Haruka. After a moment, he nodded reluctantly and went to join the others. While Makoto waited for the other girls, she looked down at the girl resting.

"Hey girl, I'll tell you something. You sure got found by the right people, there's a lot of thugs around here who you wouldn't want to run into. I'm glad you're with us."

"Makoto, Taiki said-_what the hell?_" Rei was surprised when she saw Usagi's battered body.

"Do either of you have anything we could dress her in? It's too cold for this cloak to keep her warm, and it's a little... _filthy_, anyway. What with the blood and dirt and all."

"I probably have something," Rei said, still a bit dazed, before immediately going to get Usagi some clothes.

Haruka approached Usagi, and sat down next to Makoto. They sat in silence until the raven-haired female had returned with some clothing. Rei knelt next to Usagi, and slowly opened the girl's bloodstained garment.

"Wow. That's just... ouch," Haruka said with a grimace, upon seeing the numerous marks on the unconscious young woman.

"I completely agree with that," Rei replied with a concerned look towards Usagi. "I'd never want to go through whatever happened to her."

"Poor kid," Haruka said with uncharacteristic sympathy, "she looks so little... I hope whatever happened involved a person so that we can beat them up." Makoto didn't correct Haruka, as it would ruin the older woman's fun. But they weren't exactly sure it was an animal, there might be a possibility it was a person... but probably not. Very much probably not.

"Yeah," Rei agreed. She may not know this girl, but there was something about her that was... special. Rei had always been able to read people, had always been very perceptive. And her senses were telling her that this blonde was different. She felt oddly fond of this stranger whom she hadn't really even met.

The three women continued to sit with Usagi as she remained unconscious, unaware that they were all sharing this strange feeling. And little did they know how much she was going to change their lives.

-

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Whoa, Seiya... what an arse! But he's not _that _bad. Especially for a criminal! A very suave, attractive criminal. What ever could life have in store for Usagi now? Hmm.

**PS!**

...I HAVE A BOYFRIEND. Yes, very nice.

Ahem. Okay.

Laters!


	4. NOTE

To my lovely readers,

Sorry, very sorry, but this is not an update.

I thought I should explain why I've been completely absent for months. My hard drive in my laptop was completely wiped out, and I lost all of my dear files. For school, for fics-everything. Needless to say, I was very upset. It's a weird story, but the details don't matter. What does matter is that I luckily backed up my files onto my iPod a little bit before my laptop was basically demolished, and have almost all of my writing intact. I lost about 3 chapters total, but it'll be easy to redo them as I already know what happens in each one.

I might be able to salvage some files when I take my laptop in to this place that might help me. Wiping out my hard drive was not something I did on purpose. I lost a whole lot of school stuff, and it's caused me a lot of stress. So, that's why I've been dead online. I do plan to continue and finish all of my stuff-this is not a hiatus. I hate those, they just mean discontinued in a nicer way. Not taking a break, either. I will keep on writing, and when I finally can post again, I expect I'll have a whole lot to post, indeed.

Other than that, life is good. I hope you all are doing well, and I'm excited to see you next chapter. Laters!

I hope for the best, and to see you soon,

Kael


	5. Intrigue

Disclaimer: Nope

Notes: FINALLY some S/U interaction.

Busy, busy, busy! Lots going on. But you don't have to read through any of that boring stuff. The chapter's what you want! But... yeah, all my files are gone. Forever. Laptop works again with a new hard drive, but nothing from the past will ever resurface.

On that happy note, here's chapter four!

Enjoy.

Posted 6/3/07

* * *

**Under the Full Moon**

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**

Summary: A young woman cursed seven years ago was forced into a lonely life of isolation, losing all that she had once held dear. But after a chance meeting in the moonlight, her sad story becomes an enchanted tale of romance. Seiya/Usagi.

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**Chapter Four:****Intrigue**

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After Taiki left the three girls, he went off to change his clothes. They were just a little bloody. His new clothes were similar to Seiya's; the entire group all sported the same style in general. But as he took his new clothes out, he noticed his hands were still bloody, as were his arms. Sighing, he folded the fresh clothes, trying not to handle them too much and dirty them, and headed to a nearby stream to wash up.

When Taiki arrived, he noticed that someone had thought up the same idea. Kneeling down with his hands in the stream, Seiya was vigorously scrubbing his hands, attempting to get rid of the dry blood they were covered in. As Taiki approached, he saw Seiya take his shirt off and hold it up with his thumb and index finger, glaring at it with disgust.

"I think you should just do away with the shirt," Taiki said, startling Seiya.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" Seiya said angrily, whirling around to face his friend. The small steam was rather noisy, sort of like a babbling brook.

"Sorry about that. But really, that thing is ruined. But you have more just like it, so it shouldn't matter, right?"

"Meh, I suppose. But it's such a waste."

"Perhaps. But the horses seemed a little repulsed by the smell when you fed them just now." Taiki finally reached the edge of the stream and looked down at his friend, only to be struck with shock. "Good lord, Seiya! You've got blood all over you!"

"Yes, I noticed," he replied bitterly. "I think I'm going to clean this thing out as much as I can," he said while dangling the shirt in his hand, "and use it as a rag to clean myself up."

"I may have to do the same, though... my clothes aren't as bad as yours."

"Yes, I _noticed._" Seiya glared at the shirt again, before gripping it more tightly in his fist and plunging it into the water. Taiki proceeded to stick his own hands in the water and clean them.

"Cold!" he exclaimed, clenching his jaw while he tried to wash his hands faster.

"Yes, I _noticed_." Seiya gritted his teeth together, trying to ignore the numbing in his fingers. "Freezing cold. Best to clean up fasssst," Seiya ended his sentence with a shiver.

"Yes, I noticed," Taiki mocked him. Seiya ignored the comment.

"So," Seiya began as they both cleaned, "How's the girl doing? There's an awful amount of blood on you." Taiki sighed.

"She'll live. But she will have to take it easy for a while, because she's lost a decent amount of blood. Not enough to die, but enough to keep her out of commission for a long time."

"That much, really?"

"Yes. But Makoto and I closed the wounds that were especially deep and bandaged all of them. We also cleaned her up, as she was even messier than we are."

"That's bad," Seiya admitted.

"Indeed."

"Do you know what could've hurt her so? And how long ago it happened?"

"I assume that it was a black bear, because-"

"A _black bear? _Are you _serious?" _Seiya took his hands out of the water and looked at Taiki with astonishment.

"Yes. The gashes are too serious and large to be anything smaller. And since we can see how viciously she was attacked, assuming she_ was_ attacked, a black bear is the most likely to have done the damage. They're quite violent."

"I wouldn't know, never run into a bear before."

"Neither have I. I've seen them, but never really... got engaged in a battle. I believe boar is the worst I've encountered."

"Same here. That one last month was especially nasty, eh?"

"Oh, God. That was not the most enjoyable hunt I've ever taken part in."

"Please, Taiki. You didn't do _anything. _Haruka and I took it out. All you and Yaten did was corner the thing."

"At least I went. Only four of us did."

"Yes, but we have rotations. So they went the day before, and the day before, and so on. Don't try to be slick with me, I'm not stupid like Yaten," Seiya scoffed.

"I'm going to tell him you said that."

"Not if you don't want to go hunting all next week, you won't," Seiya jokingly threatened.

"Seiya! That's very unsportsmanlike."

"Hey, we could settle this right here and now," Seiya teased. "Your arrows can't match my knives at this distance. Oh, wait, you're unarmed. That makes it a lot easier." Taiki glared. "And we know who's the better knife fighter, eh?"

"You are a pompous ass, you know that?" Taiki said menacingly.

"Oh, yes. But that doesn't mean I can't kick _your _ass in hand-to-hand combat, too. You forget who's the leader of this group, and why." Taiki snorted.

"And did you know how much of an arrogant, cocky little jerk you are?"

"That's just how I am," Seiya said, while flinging some water at Taiki. The taller man glared and shook his wet hands in Seiya's face, getting some minor revenge.

"Yes, I noticed."

- - -

Back at the fire, after much cleaning up, everyone was pestering Taiki about Usagi. They'd given up trying to get information from Seiya after two tries, he was rather touchy on the subject. To him, it was obvious; he'd mistreated a defenseless female. She'd been completely helpless, and he'd picked on her. Seiya had physically hurt the girl, who was already fatally injured. And he'd been an ass to her, too. So he felt just a _little _bit guilty.

But Taiki, Seiya noticed, was quite tired of being pestered. Seiya knew that if he himself asked a question, the others would back down and let him have the floor, holding their own questions. The fact that he had so much power over the group had made him quite cocky over the years, not to mention arrogant.

"Taiki," Seiya began as everyone stopped their headache-causing chatter, "why don't you tell us about how the girl was?" Taiki sighed, very grateful for Seiya's help.

"Well, she won't die. But she was really injured. There were several, very deep gashes covering her body. It looks like she was wrestling with a bear, or something, and lost miserably. But she still got away, though I can't imagine how. I surmise it was a black bear, perhaps defending her cubs. That is a fierce animal." Of course, Seiya already knew all this. It was interesting to hear how Taiki said it to the others.

"A girl _that _size? Pah! She wouldn't last against a puppy!" Yaten said, laughing.

"Apparently," Haruka cut in, suddenly mad at the small man, "she survived just fine against whatever it was. That girl may be a little kitten, but she took on something much more ferocious than a puppy. You haven't seen those wounds, they're horrible!" The tall woman had developed a very protective nature towards the girl rather quickly, which was quite uncharacteristic.

"Indeed, they are. And great in number as well," Taiki said, sighing.

"I still don't think she could take on some murderous animal." Yaten said arrogantly. Haruka shot him a devious grin.

"Her and the bear, who knows? But I think _I_ could take on _you_, don't you think? We can do this right here, Yaten. I know my knife is ready to fly, is yours?" Yaten gulped. The woman was an expert knife-thrower (not to mention she loved making trouble), and he had no intention of dying right now.

"I think I'll pass on that."

"Aw, that's too bad."

Seiya was bored with the conversation. And if they were done fixing and dressing Usagi, he felt obligated to check on her.

"I'm going to go and see how the girl is doing... hopefully Rei and Makoto haven't done anything too crazy to her. Oh, and leave Taiki alone." He stood and headed off towards Rei, Makoto, and Usagi, without giving the others a glance.

"Taiki!" called a voice in the distance. "We need some help over here!"

Taiki and Seiya looked at each other, and quickly made their way over to the girls.

- - -

"Uuuuungh..."

A groan interrupted the conversation between the two chatting women, and the girl who emitted it immediately had their attention.

"Oh my God, Rei, she's waking up!" Makoto exclaimed with excitement.

"Well I can see _that!" _It was meant to be mean, but came out rather happily. The two leaned over her, hovering over her still body.

"Hey, girl! Welcome back to the world of the living! I helped patch you up, but I advise you not to move anyway-you're still in bad shape." Makoto grinned.

"Yeah, but Taiki did most of the work, Makoto."

"Oh whatever. You didn't do _anything,_ Rei."

"I helped you dress her! Isn't that something?"

"Not much..." The girls' bickering ended when the third finally spoke.

"Where...?" Usagi asked in a raspy voice.

"Oh," Makoto piped in, "you're at our campsite. It's a great place, you know. As long as you aren't part of high society."

"And there are a bunch of great people here... considering we're sort of thieves. But they really are great... once you get on their good side, that is. But _we_ like you!" Rei's attempts to make Usagi smile were lost on deaf ears.

"But not just because there aren't hardly any other girls here, hah..." Makoto added quickly. It _was_ stretching the truth, though-they did like it that Usagi made four girls now in the group.

"Oh, yeah. Not because of that... right." Nothing they were saying was really registering in Usagi's mind, so she didn't detect their half-lies. Her head just sort of... lolled to the side with another groan.

"Wha... what happened? Why am I... _oh, ow._" Usagi had tried to shift her leg, but tossed the idea aside when it hurt like hell.

"Well you'll have to tell _us _what happened to you, 'cause we don't know," Rei said. "But Seiya brought you here, and you looked pretty bad."

"Very, very bad," Makoto added.

"Yeah, it wasn't a pretty sight." Rei said, not trying to make Usagi feel bad, but doing it nonetheless. But the blonde was confused.

"Who?" Usagi asked, while trying to sit up.

"Seiya? Oh, he's the chief around here, don't you remember? Tall dark and handsome?" Usagi thought for a moment, then nodded weakly. She knew who they were describing... even if she didn't agree with the description. The blonde tried to arch her back and lift it off the ground, testing to see how the cuts on her shoulders and back were doing.

"Hey," Rei said with concern, "I don't think you should do that-"

"_Aaaaah!_" Usagi cried out, her wounds stretching and shooting white-hot pain throughout her body.

"Oh, damn." Makoto gently touched the tops of Usagi's shoulders (to avoid the cuts) and pushed her back to the ground. "You need to rest a little more, all right?" Usagi just cringed; it was her most used facial expression tonight.

"Uh oh... Makoto, I think we have a problem," Rei said, pointing to Usagi's left shoulder. There was a bright red stain showing through the white bandage, which was slowly growing in size.

"Ah!" Makoto exclaimed in panic. "What do we do?" She may have helped dress Usagi's wounds, but she was no expert.

"I don't know!" Rei shot back with equal panic. "_I'm_ not the doctor!"

"And _I'm_ just the cook!"

"Excuse me," Usagi said, finally able to speak again, though still very much in pain, "but... there wouldn't happen to be a doctor here, would there?" She hadn't really taken in their conversation, with her brain still not fully functioning yet.

"Oh, actually there is. Hah... sorry about that..." Rei said sheepishly, before turning around and shouting behind her. "Taiki! We need some help over here!"

Just a moment after Rei's call, both Taiki and Seiya were right in front of them. Makoto pointed to Usagi's shoulder, still feeling a little spastic.

"Not again," said Taiki with a groan. He sighed. "Makoto, could you fetch the first aid kit? I think we'll be needing it-again. Maybe I shouldn't have put it away..." Makoto went off without a word. "Seiya, give me a hand, if you will. Can you lift her up just a bit?" Seiya nodded, then bent down across from Taiki like they had been earlier. Slipping an arm underneath Usagi's back, he gently lifted her off the ground a few inches. The man held back the cringe roused by Usagi's visible injuries and general damage to her entire body.

"A little more than that," Taiki instructed, and Seiya did so. "All right, miss, I'm just going to remove the bandage. Hold still for a moment." Usagi, like she had so many times, hissed in pain as Taiki unwrapped the cloth from her shoulder. "That's a girl, you're doing a good job. Seiya, you can put her down-but hold this to the cut..." The so-called doctor gave Seiya the bandage, and the man with black hair held the cloth to the injury; putting pressure on it to slow the bleeding for now.

Taiki knew that words of encouragement were good right now, as she was soon to feel a significant amount of pain. He may have made a mistake in not stitching up this specific cut, as it was much deeper than he'd thought it to be. So he would have to do it now, which would be quite unpleasant when not done with some sort of anesthetic. Taiki felt very sorry for this girl; he knew how much it hurt to get stitches without being numbed. But never with a cut even nearly this serious, so he felt _very _sorry for her.

"Here we go again," said Makoto as she came back with the materials, and set them down next to Taiki. Said man tried not to wince, thinking about the upcoming procedure. He looked at the other two girls, and nodded towards the fire with his head, telling them to go. He didn't want the girl crowded right now, and personally, _he _didn't want to be crowded either. As he got out the needed objects, he spoke nicely to the girl before him.

"My name is Taiki, what can I call you?" Taiki dipped the needle into a disinfectant, and dried it while she swallowed hard.

"I'm... Usagi."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Usagi. First, I have to tell you that despite your critical injuries, you're going to pull through just fine. Our work has ensured that-as long as you don't move around too much." He smiled encouragingly as he unwound some medical thread.

"...What are you doing?" she asked warily, quite suspicious of his intentions.

"Pay no attention to the needle." Usagi's eyes shot open at his lightheartedly-said sentence.

"W-wait, what-"

"Second, I must apologize. It seems that I made a mistake in judging this wound on your shoulder-I underestimated the damage done there." Usagi was not liking where this was going. Why was he holding that needle?

"And so, I need to stitch it up."

_Oh God, I am _so _sick of this day, _she thought. _No more stitches, no more! I hate this! I HATE bears!_ Usagi's head was spinning. "...Come again?"

"I am not going to lie, this is going to hurt. Do you think you can hold still? You can't move around while I do this." Still cringing, Usagi nodded. She just wanted to get it over with. "All right, then. Seiya, if you will." The leader removed the bandage, and tried not to flinch when he saw the blood simply _gushing _from the tear in her skin.

As soon as the cloth was lifted, Taiki seized the skin and pinched it together, holding it shut. Naturally, Usagi cried out as he squeezed her flesh to stop the blood flow. The girl gritted her teeth together in order not to do it again as Taiki inserted the needle into her skin, weaving the thread across the wound and then through her skin again. She couldn't help from making small noises as he sewed her skin together, it just hurt too much.

_I hate bears, I hate bears, I hate bears, _she chanted inside her head. _Except for one. Other than that, I hate them. Hate. _

"Good girl, you're going great. You're strong, Usagi," Taiki said while continuing to fierce her flesh. "Almost done," he lied. She didn't agree, and totally didn't believe him, but couldn't exactly tell him that at the moment. Usagi grunted when the doctor reached the worst part of the gash, and instinctively tried to move away by sitting up.

"Seiya," Taiki said, and the other man guiltily pushed Usagi back down, but as gently as he could. "I'm really sorry about this, Usagi. Just a little more." Taiki tried to work a little faster, but didn't want to rush.

It seemed to take ages for Taiki to finish stitching Usagi's cut, though it couldn't have been more than five minutes. When all the hands were removed from her body, she blinked her eyes open, breathing heavily. She was proud of herself for not crying, because besides getting the cuts, getting stitches just now may have been the most painful experience of her life. Oh, except for when she was cursed. That had hurt a lot, too.

_I wish all bears would die. Every single one. Gone. Forever. Except for Jack._

Taiki felt very bad that he still had to disinfect the cut, and decided not to tell her about it. Maybe it would hurt less if she didn't know what was coming. And so, he discreetly wetted the cloth in his hand with the alcohol, and gently dabbed the closed cut with it before Usagi could see what was happening.

"_Ouch! _Hey, stop that!" she complained quite loudly.

"Sorry, Usagi. But no worries, we're all done. Now do you understand why you shouldn't be moving? Your cuts can open again, and I'll either have to stitch them up or _redo _the stitches."

"Uuugh... right." Usagi twitched her shoulder involuntarily, and instantly regretted it. "Oh, God." Usagi made a face at the sky, like it was its fault for all of this. There weren't any bears to glare at.

"Don't do that, either," Taiki scolded. Usagi nodded. "I'm going to let this breathe for a while, before we wrap it again." She nodded again. "Is there anything I can get for you?" Usagi tried to remember her manners, pushing aside her irritation from the pain.

"Water would be nice, if that's all right."

"Certainly. I'll be right back. Anything else?" Usagi thought about this.

"No, thank you." Taiki smiled a little and went off to get Usagi a drink. The young woman was totally parched. And very hungry. But she didn't have the energy to eat, and felt a little nauseous after getting those stitches. Food would have to wait for now.

"Say, Usagi..." Seiya began.

"Yeah?" she sighed, turning her head towards him.

"Ah... I'm sorry about earlier." She looked at him, confused. "You know, back in the forest? Ah... I think you may have been correct when you called me a bastard." Usagi's anger flared, but she kept it under control.

"Oh, that," Usagi mused, not exactly recalling the previous events with a smile. It was more of a scowl. Seiya nodded.

"I don't apologize much, so when I say this, I really mean that I'm sorry." As angry as she was at him, he _had _brought her here, and she might have died if she hadn't run into him. She didn't know how to take care of her cuts, which had kept opening anyway and were becoming infected.

"Well... I _did _steal from you all. I would be angry too, if someone took my things." It was a forced condolence, and she didn't really mean it. Usagi was still upset with him, especially because the robbery was for her own survival, not personal profit. She wasn't a common thief.

"I suppose. But I didn't have to be so... er, mean?" Usagi started to laugh, but stopped quickly, as it hurt rather much.

"No, not really. I suppose not." She smiled just a bit. "Well, I forgive you," she sort of lied. This seemed to make him happy. "But I have to thank you, for bringing me here. It was a great help, as you can see I don't feel so well." He just shrugged. "But... aren't outlaws supposed to be mean, bad people? You all are... relatively nice." Seiya laughed a little; he still felt a little awkward and uncomfortable talking to this innocent girl whom he had hurt so much.

"Sometimes we are. Usually we're rowdy and loud and tease each other, actually. We are bandits, after all. Though you seem to be an exception for the others, they seem to like you a lot."

"Oh, but not you?" she drawled with a half-smile.

"But of course, me too!" he replied, grinning a bit. Usagi found that the expression looked good on him. And now that he wasn't being so dreadful, he _was _quite dashing. Usagi felt something strange stirring within her, but paid no attention to it.

"Taiki takes well to people easily, as does Makoto. But Rei," he said, smirking, "not so much. Usually she judges people. _Especially _girls."

"Are you serious?" Usagi asked in disbelief. Rei had been so kind to her!

"Mmm hmm. But Haruka, she's even worse!"

"Who is that?"

"Oh, you haven't met her yet. But I'll tell you, she's a pain in the ass! Always mocking people-oh man, you should see her and Yaten go at it. She's thrown her share of punches at him." Usagi furrowed her brows. She couldn't remember most of these people.

"Who's Yaten?"

"He's the guy you first saw, silver hair?"

"Oh, him." She frowned. Usagi wasn't sure she liked Yaten very much. Seiya's lips quirked upwards rather smugly at Usagi's reaction.

"But anyway, Haruka doesn't like many people-she doesn't even like everyone in our group. In fact, the two of us don't get along too well, but we're on good terms most of the times. But when we were all talking, when you were still out, she actually defended you."

"How'd she do that?"

"Oh, Yaten was getting on your case." Usagi's frown deepened. "Don't worry," Seiya reassured her, "he does that to everybody. But you should've seen Haruka threaten him, it was quite amusing." A thought occurred to Seiya, and he abruptly changed the subject. "Usagi, what _did _happen to you, anyway?"

"Oh, that," Usagi scoffed. "I... sort of got into a... fight, so to speak."

"Hmm. Taiki guessed you got into a fight. He said you wrestled with a black bear, or something?"

"A grizzly, actually." Seiya's eyes bulged.

"_What?"_

"I fought with a grizzly bear. A very large, angry grizzly bear." Seiya blinked his surprised eyes.

"You must be joking," he said while shaking his head. "That is entirely _impossible._"

"Not impossible, improbable." Usagi shook her head back at him in response. "And I'm completely serious. Maybe some day, once these buggers have healed and become scars, you'll see where the claws slashed me. They're actually a bit impressive, I think."

"I've no idea how a tiny girl like you fought a bear and did not die."

"_Girl? _I'll have you know that I'm twenty years old, thank you very much. And I'm not tiny!" she pouted. Usagi was very sensitive about her size.

"Well, ex_cus_e me. Forgive me for wronging you so, Miss Usagi."

"Oh, hush." Seiya shifted a little, unfolding his legs and stretching them out.

"All right, then. How on earth did you manage to fight such a bear?"

"Great things come in small packages! I may not look it, but I can be quite fierce."

"I find that hard to believe, but I suppose I'll have to. The evidence is quite convincing, I'll admit. But _why _did you get into this fight? Surely it wasn't for sport." Usagi hadn't been ready for such a line of questioning. Her usual, cover-up responses didn't apply to something specific.

_Lie. Lie your butt off, _Usagi thought.

"Go ask the bear," she said indignantly, _"I_ had nothing to do with it. I just defended myself, and hurt him just enough to escape."

"How did you manage to do that? And how do you know it was a _he?_"

"I have my ways. And I know a lot about animals." Usagi's mood gave Seiya a frown.

"I'll have you know I'm a curious man, and I'm quite used to getting what I want, "he admitted somewhat childishly-even if it was true. "And I'm very intrigued by this story of yours. Now, tell me, what ways did you use to take down a _bear?_"

"Apparently, you have yet to learn a great lesson in life." Seiya raised an inquisitive eyebrow. He wasn't used to being taught lessons. "It is that you cannot always get what you want," Usagi informed him. Seiya snorted; what was a tiny thing like this thinking? Telling him what to do? _Him. _

"Just... tell me anyway," he commanded-his most mature and persuasive response. He did that a lot.

"Sorry, Seiya." If Usagi could shrug, she would. "If I told you that, then I wouldn't be so intriguing, now would I?" Seiya resisted the urge to make a face at her.

"Oh, _fine._ Have it your way." Seiya nearly turned his nose in the air to feign indifference and gain control of the conversation, and reassert his dominance. It seemed as if this small female had more of a presence than he did!

Suddenly, Seiya frowned, and looked over his shoulder. "What the hell is taking Taiki so long?"

"Maybe he got attacked by a bear," Usagi said wryly.

"Hah, I doubt that. Gentle as he is, that man's a decent fighter. He could ward one off pretty well." Seiya shook his head, smiling and standing up. "Anyway, I'll go check. Be right back." Before he turned to walk away, he tossed her one last glance over his shoulder. "Don't get yourself into any fights while I'm gone, you hear?" Usagi rolled her eyes.

"Okay, okay, I'll try not to."

* * *

Hmm... yeah. I'm exhausted from today. And yesterday. And the whole week.

Anyway, so there's some S/U civilized contact. No, they're not going to jump on each other and make tons of babies on the first meeting (as much as this would please a portion of us). This isn't a racy one-shot, so be patient! It will come.

Laters.


	6. Retreat

Disclaimer: Nope

Notes: Hello to my lovelies! I have a random tidbit before we begin.

Hogwash is a wonderful word for the highly intelligent and educated person. You should add it to your daily vocabulary. Your IQ will increase dramatically.

Mmph busy. Yeah, still behind in updating. This story is easiest to update because I've already written so many chapters, almost finished the entire story. There are big holes that I need to fill in to complete it, but I do that when I reach them. Hogwash. It's nice, as I know what's going to happen, when, and how. And I love the story. I hope you all do, too. I can't wait to get into the heart of this fic, it's amazing. I want to continue it forever. Or... just make it longer or something. Whatever. Hogwash.

Nice long chapter for you guys, and many hearts to all.

Enjoy.

Posted 8/8/07

* * *

**Under the Full Moon**

Summary: A young woman cursed seven years ago was forced into a lonely life of isolation, losing all that she had once held dear. But after a chance meeting in the moonlight, her sad story becomes an enchanted tale of romance. Seiya/Usagi.

**Chapter Five:****Retreat**

-

"Anyway, I'll go check. I'll be right back." Before Seiya turned to walk away, he tossed her one last glance over his shoulder. "Don't get yourself into any fights while I'm gone, you hear?" Usagi rolled her eyes.

"I'll try not to." He trotted off, and Usagi couldn't help but smile, thinking how lucky she was to be with these people right now. As injured as she was, the pain had already faded to a dull ache. For this, she was grateful. After all, she only had a little time left to stay here and heal. She had no idea how she was going to survive on her own so shortly after the attack. One thing was for certain.

Minako Aino was not good for Usagi's health. Perhaps one day Usagi would be able to tell her that.

Minako... how Usagi missed her. No matter how many times Usagi got hurt, how many times she had a brush with death, she would not regret it if it was for her best friend. Even if Minako never knew that it was Usagi who had saved her, Usagi would be happy as long as Minako was safe. Her best friend was a princess, and had a shining future in front of her. She had to become a fantastic ruler, and take care of her people.

And Usagi? Her future was dim and rather pointless. But still, Usagi wished Minako happiness. She wished her friend could grow up joyously, find love, and be a righteous queen. She would have beautiful children, who would be just as wonderful as their mother. And Usagi would be happy for her, one hundred percent.

That didn't mean that Usagi did not wish her life could be as bright. It lacked purpose, and she really didn't know what to do with it. She hadn't for seven years. And looking up at the round moon in the sky, she cursed herself for not being smart enough to do something meaningful with her life. No matter how hard she tried, Usagi had no idea what she could do for the world, or herself. And it made her incredibly sad.

Usagi felt a single tear roll down her right temple and fall to the ground. Sure, she was feeling useless, yet... she really didn't feel like crying. But apparently, her body wanted to, and so she felt another one slide down the other side of her face. It was very strange, and yet not so strange at the same time.

Seiya chose that moment to come back, carrying a few things in his hands.

"Sorry about taking so long. Apparently we're out of water, and Taiki's gone to the stream nearby to get some. I thought you might like some, food, so I-Usagi?" Seiya was very confused when he saw tears coming from the girl's eyes. Before he had left, she had been smiling. He didn't know what had caused the sudden mood change.

"Oh, there you are," she replied casually, trying to look happy, while feeling rather dismal.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, walking to her. "Just a second ago you seemed happy, but now..."

_Lie, Usagi. You're good at it. _But she couldn't really come up with anything right now, she was just so tired...

"Oh, my eyes are a bit dry. It's a symptom of bear-fighting," she said. _That was a _horrible _lie! _she thought.

"Yeah, right." Seiya reclaimed his seat next to Usagi. "Tell me what's bothering you."

There was no way in hell she was going to do that. "Maybe some other time," she dismissed him, which he did not like at all, "I'm exhausted." Seiya's irritation was obvious, as proven by an intense glare.

"I think now is just a fine time-"

"Usagi! I apologize for being so long, we didn't have anything to drink that wasn't alcoholic." Taiki had just come onto the scene, and Seiya failed to repress the urge to glare at Taiki. He wanted to find out what was wrong with Usagi, but _no_-certainly not.

"It's perfectly fine," Usagi replied. After all, how often did one get waited on by bandits? "I appreciate all the trouble you went through, you really shouldn't have." _Even though Seiya really should have... jerk. _

"Oh, but I had to," Seiya interjected. "How could I refuse the request of an injured lady? It just wouldn't be proper." Usagi wasn't sure what to make of this man. As far as she saw it, his emotions were somewhat out of control.

"Thank you," Usagi managed to say with believable gratitude.

"Don't thank us just yet," said Taiki, "it wont be fun for you to sit up to drink. We must be careful, to not open your wounds, of course." Usagi groaned.

"No, not that!" she said quite seriously. "I think I take it back..." After a moment, Usagi sighed. "No, I'm too parched." She sighed again. _No more stitches, no more stitches. Oh God, please no more stitches, _she thought.

"Well then, let's quench your thirst, shall we?" Usagi began to attempt to sit up, but was immediately stopped by Taiki. "Don't you dare, Usagi. Remember what happened last time you moved? Wait a moment... didn't I_ just_ say this?" Usagi huffed. "Seiya, a little help?"

As the men closed in on her, she tensed. Sitting up was not what she wanted to do!

_I hate bears! HATE THEM! _Usagi was furious at that animal. One day, she would track it down, and...

"Ouch!"

"Ah, sorry about that," Seiya said sheepishly, adjusting his hand on her back more to the side. "I forgot about the one on your back... it's in the middle, hah..." Usagi gritted her teeth. She wondered if she'd have any of her teeth left by the time she healed, they must be getting worn down so much.

"Yeah," she ground out. "Just... make sure it doesn't open. No more stitches, I'll die from blood loss first. Just... no more stitches."

"We'll try," Taiki said wryly, making Usagi nervous. Perhaps trusting these two was a bad idea. "Up we go." They slowly sat Usagi up, and Seiya held her in the position so Taiki would be able to pour some water down Usagi's throat. "That wasn't so bad, now, was it?"

"No, actually. Just that one part," she added, sending a not-so-serious glare at Seiya, who grinned sheepishly. "Wait-what are you doing?" she asked Taiki.

"Giving you water, of course."

"I think I can do that, just hand me the cup." She wasn't a baby; Usagi didn't need _that _much help.

"Sorry, but no. Not unless you want your arms stitched-"

"Never mind," she said quickly. The doctor rolled his eyes and held the cup to Usagi's mouth. "This is so embarrassing..." she mumbled, frowning.

"Drink up, Usagi."

After a few failed tries with some sputtering, Usagi successfully wetted her dry throat. But unfortunately, the embarrassment continued when she had to eat directly afterwards.

"I don't think I have ever felt so humiliated in my entire life."

"It's a small price to pay, Usagi. Eating like this or starvation, which is the best choice?" Taiki asked with amusement.

"I'm beginning to think starvation." Currently she was being fed-yes, _fed_-some bread, which was going to be followed up with small, cut-up pieces of pork. "Hey, can we move onto the meat? I really, _really _have a craving for it."

"If you want to," said Taiki.

"You have a craving for _meat? _That's weird. Just meat in general?" Seiya asked.

"Yes, I do. You see, I haven't eaten meat in a very long time," Usagi said with longing. Not fake longing, very sincere longing. She had missed it so!

"...How long has it _been _since you've had it, exactly?" Seiya doubted her statement. But then again, there were many strange aspects in Usagi's life.

"Oh, about a year or so." She sighed, remembering her long time of lamenting the delicious dish.

"Vegetarian?" Seiya suggested.

"No, it just isn't available."

"Not available? Do you live in a head of lettuce?"

_Oops. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. I'm slipping... blame it on the blood loss. _"Can I just eat some already?" she whined. It was torture, seeing it right there, smelling it, wanting to eat it...

"All right, I suppose you can have some pork." Taiki laughed. The girl was very entertaining. "Seiya, it's your turn. Open up, Usagi."

_Oh, no. You have to be joking. They are _not _going to feed me. I am not a ba-_

"Mmph." As Usagi had opened her mouth to complain, Seiya had stuffed a piece of pork into her mouth with a fork. She glared daggers at the man, but her expression quickly became happy.

Meat.

MEAT!

"Oh my God, you guyf are fo lofely. Thif meat if fabulouf. That if juft-"

"Usagi, chew," Seiya chided, making fun of her. Usagi nodded vigorously, and chewed and swallowed as fast as she could. She wanted more pork.

Pork. _Pork. _Savory, delicious pork.

After Usagi swallowed her... fourteenth piece, she asked them a question.

"Who made this? It's the most delicious thing I've ever tasted," she gushed. Usagi was in heaven. She had been ravenous, and now was eating such wonderful food!

"Perhaps that is because you were starving before you came here?" Taiki said in a wry voice again. "Your ribs are poking out, it's a little disturbing."

"Maybe," she said casually. She hadn't been so well fed in months!

"Makoto made it, she makes most of our food around here," Seiya popped in.

"If you see her before I do, can you tell her I love her with every piece of my soul and I will do anything to get her make me more food eventually?"

"I suppose I could," Seiya replied with a quirky smile.

"Thank you. Oh, can I have some more pork?"

- - -

"So," Haruka said, "Seiya told us that you refused to tell him about how you took down that bear."

"He's telling the truth," Usagi said factually. Said man had gone back to his posse with Taiki, allowing Haruka to chat with Usagi. The former was sitting on the ground a few feet from he latter with her legs crossed and her eyes amused.

"Well, why didn't you?"

"I don't trust men," Usagi stated quite simply.

"Well, that makes two of us!" Haruka laughed, and Usagi wondered for a moment what she meant. "So... can you tell _me?_"

"Sorry, but no. My mighty battle tactics must always remain a secret." Haruka rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on, Usagi. Surely you can entrust your secrets to me."

"I've only known you for a few hours," Usagi stated rather bluntly.

"Sometimes it's easier to tell your secrets to strangers."

"Sometimes."

"Oh come _on_. Just a little? I love a good story, you know." Usagi sighed. She could humor Haruka without giving anything away, perhaps.

"I suppose I could tell you a bit."

"Oh, good!" Usagi was amused at Haruka's ability to look childish and like a criminal at the same time. "Please, go on."

"Well, ah... where to start?" Usagi thought for a moment. "Okay, I know. So I was in the woods, right?"

"Right. Wait, why are you around here anyway?"

"That's not part of the story." Haruka's expression showed that she was not one to be bossed around, but Usagi disregarded it.

"But-"

"So I'm walking around in the woods, and I come across a woman, who's about to get battered by this grizzly bear."

"_Grizzly bear?_"

"Oh, yes. It was quite large and enraged, I've no idea what she did to make it so angry. Anyway, being the stupid girl I am, I decide I have to help her. My heroics tend to surface at the worst times."

"Usagi, that's really admirable. Not many people would jump into a fight with a large, ferocious animal all by themselves." The older woman had suddenly developed a strong respect for the blonde in front of her, regardless of her young and somewhat meek appearance.

"Yes, those are the smart people," Usagi countered, and Haruka shrugged. "So yeah, I sort of just jumped in. I got the girl to run away, and promptly got knocked into a tree."

"Oooh, ouch."

"Oh, yes. Very much so. So then I stomped on it, and all was well."

"You _stomped_ on it?" asked Haruka with disbelief. "What, did it hurt its little toes and run away?"

"No, I did the running away. I. kicked it a bit, among other things. And then I ran away. But, as you can see, it slashed me up pretty good."

"Good is not the adjective I would use. More like, it mauled you."

"Perhaps that's a better description of my side of the fight."

"I don't believe you just hit it a little and managed to get away. What else did you do? Did you shoot it? Stab it?" Usagi fought hard not to grin.

"I have my ways. Like I said, my best battle tactics are not something I can share."

"What? Usagi!" Haruka protested.

"It's nothing too fabulous or flashy, so don't feel so let down. I barely did any damage."

"But a _grizzly, _and you're so tiny!"

"Hey..." Usagi glared at the adjective referring to her size.

"Sorry, sorry, little kitten." Usagi raised an eyebrow.

_Right. Oh, by the way, I pummeled it with my hooves and rammed it with my gigantic head. And out-ran it when it took chase. Oh, and did I mention I was a horse?_ she thought to herself. "I so hate bears," Usagi added. "They're so difficult when you piss them off."

"Do you... run into bears often?" Haruka asked incredulously, and Usagi laughed.

"Not too much," she said casually, "but I see one every now and then."

"Astonishing," Haruka said, in shock.

"Now cougars are more common, though not too frequent. But I can deal with them, so they're not nearly as bad as bears."

"_Cougars?_" Haruka looked at Usagi like she was insane. "What kind of person _are _you? That's crazy! And _what the hell_ are you doing that gets you into so much trouble?" Usagi laughed.

"I'm just more special than most people."

"That's an understatement."

"Perhaps it is," Usagi yawned out. Haruka shook her head, saving the confusion and disbelief for another time. "Oh, and I was joking about the cougars. Never seen one in my life, they don't live in places like this." Haruka glared at Usagi and stood up.

"Well, I think that a little kitten needs lots of sleep. Especially an injured one. So you rest up."

"I will, and thank you." Haruka was confused. She couldn't think of anything she'd done for Usagi.

"For what?" she asked. But the girl only smiled.

"Just for being you," Usagi replied sincerely. Something stirred in Haruka, and she eyed Usagi warily. Something about this girl was off. She was different in some way, strange, set apart from people as a whole. Haruka thought hard, but couldn't quite figure out what about Usagi was so... unusual. She put the thought away for later use, as she didn't need troubling ideas in her head at the moment.

"...Whatever you say, Kitten. Good night."

"Good night, Haruka. Sleep well, and pleasant dreams."

Haruka never slept well. She'd sleep for a few hours, and wake soon after that. She would then have to stay awake for a while before going back to slumber, and had never stayed there for more than five straight hours in her entire life. And she didn't dream, or at least she didn't remember. Haruka had heard that every person dreamt every night, but some never remembered the dreams. She was one of those people.

"Yeah..." she trailed off, very uncertain of herself. She wasn't used to uncertainty. And so the older woman simply left, unpleasantly fazed from feeling Usagi's words more than hearing them-and she did not like it at all. Usagi was not normal, and Haruka wasn't fond of change and things far from the norm of her life. What was most peculiar was the fact that Usagi was just that, and yet Haruka couldn't dislike her.

When Haruka slept, she slept well, and dreamt in bright colors.

- - -

September 7th, 1243

Usagi woke with the sun, witnessing a brilliant display of colors splashed across the normally pastel sky. It was beautiful, and something easy to stare at for as long as it existed.

But Usagi didn't really care, because she liked to sleep. And sunrises happened every day. Therefore, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Usagi woke with a start when she next left her slumber. Something had jarred her from her sleep. The something looked remarkably like a person the longer Usagi looked at it, allowing her eyes to wake up and focus. When they did, Usagi observed the something curiously. It _was _a person! She didn't get to meet new people very often, and didn't know many people at all. This was a good time to lengthen her list of acquaintances.

"Hello," she greeted simply.

"Gah!"

Usagi watched the person fall over from the surprise of her speaking, and ungracefully crash to the ground. She cringed at the sight. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"S'okay... didn't really see you there." Usagi didn't know how that was possible, as she clearly did not blend in with the inanimate objects around her. "Didn't mean to bump into you... uhm, wait. Hum... hold on a second. I don't know you."

"No, I don't think so. My name is Usagi, and I was brought here last night to... er, get some medical help for injuries."

"Hum... right. I see then, you're that kid Seiya picked up?" Usagi did not think this was an accurate description of what had happened, but went with it anyway.

"You could say that."

"Well then, I know you now. Hum... yes. I'm Finley, just one of the bunch."

Usagi noticed then that it was really hard to discern Finley's gender. This particular bandit looked very much like a woman, but something was off. Even though she was sure that Finley's estrogen levels squashed the testosterone, Usagi believed the bandit to be a male.

"So... feeling any better?" Finley asked.

Definitely a female... a female that... was a male. Or maybe it was a woman who grew up around men? No, absolutely not. It was a she... or a he. One of the two. Maybe both, Usagi thought. A SheHe. Usagi shook her head at the silly thoughts. A man-woman was simply preposterous... even though it seemed a very likely possibility at the moment.

"Yes, I am. Thanks."

"Oh, uhm," said Finley, striking a contemplative pose, "I have a question for you."

"All right."

"You see, we don't get visitors here. No one, hmm... is basically allowed. A lot of us are confused as to why you're here, and some sort of... they, hum, don't like it so much-well, at all. Not that I have any problem with it," he added quickly, "of course!"

"Oh..." Usagi trailed off. She hadn't considered that so many of the others might harbor such negative feelings towards her. The blonde put the thoughts away quickly before they could make her feel too uncomfortable or unwelcome. She needed to stay there as long as possible in her current physical state.

"Ah, I'm not trying to scare you, or anything. Don't think of it like that! Since Seiya was the one to bring you in, you're safe. No matter how much any of the other might dislike you or anything, they'd never try to upset the leader. Well, in general."

"In general?" She was very skeptical "What do you mean by that?"

"Uhm... well, never mind. It's nothing to worry about." Usagi didn't believe this at all. "The girls like you a lot, if it's any consolation. As for the men, I suppose that the right ones are fond of you in order for you to not get hurt. I mean, if Seiya's okay with you, and his closest friends are, then you'll be fine. But don't worry about me, I'm one of the men who has no problem with someone like you!"

Usagi hid her shock upon discovering Finley's gender. But it was very much there.

"Thank you, I suppose."

"No problem. Oh, but I have some advice." Usagi was surprised again by Finley's ability to change topics so casually and quickly, as he looked very socially adept, and rather awkward.

"Advice?"

"Yeah. I don't think you should fret over the guys who don't like you so much, but be wary of Tristan. He's the tall one with long, orange hair." Again, she was skeptical.

"...Why should I be cautious around him?" Finley looked like he was about to laugh.

"Ah, well... he's a bit of a flirt."

"A flirt? That's it?"

"Er... maybe that was an understatement. I'll just say that he likes pretty females a lot and tends to express it more frequently and boldly than others."

"...Thanks."

- - -

Fortunately, for her, Usagi did not have any immediate run-ins with this Tristan character. She was a little surprised how much time Seiya devoted to her, what with her being a random woman that he just happened to "encounter." She credited his guilt for the attention, which she found was strangely enjoyable, at the start, at least (it was becoming a little tiring). The blonde had noticed easily how handsome the man was, although there was still something in his face that just irritated her.

Usagi was put off by the fact that there seemed to be some bond between them. They had only just met, and it was like they had clicked immediately after the urge to kill each other was gone. She wasn't sure how she felt about this, as the last time she had a best friend there was a great and terrible change in her life. Having good friends hadn't helped Usagi in the past-the main reason that she didn't want to befriend this Seiya person. He seemed like the annoying type who just grew on you no matter how much you fought to dislike them. That didn't mean that she couldn't try, of course.

At the moment, Seiya was rambling on about the numerous doings of his group, telling her many stories in succession. While it wasn't boring, listening to him talk and talk and talk was becoming rather tedious. The tales were exciting, but Usagi wanted a change in setting and activity, regardless of how attractive the sunset was. She enjoyed the company, but could only take so much storytelling in which Seiya portrayed himself as a great and skilled warrior and thief.

"...And after he was knocked out, the rest of us stormed the camp and-"

"Stole everything? Yes, I know."

"But how? I didn't finish-"

"They all end the same way. Seiya, as much as I appreciate you trying to entertain me, I'd rather do something more interactive."

"Well, I'm sure I could get someone over here and we could re-enact something-"

"No! I mean, no thanks. That's okay, you don't have to go through all that trouble." Seiya was about to protest, but was interrupted by a very loud noise that was followed by several yells and screams. Both Seiya and Usagi had their attention diverted to the source of the racket, the center of the camp where the other members of the group were. Seiya was thoroughly confused, and stood to investigate.

"What the fu-OH SHIT!" Seiya was surprised to see a large animal burst into the scene. Usagi was, too, but while Seiya was anxious she was happy. "Usagi, are you a bear MAGNET?" he bellowed while fumbling for any weapon on his person. Usagi saw him draw a dagger and became nervous.

"Seiya, don't hurt him!"

"Usagi, you're insane, shut up!" She was sort of glad that he was sort of trying to protect her, but also mildly irritated.

"He's a... a good bear! Leave him alone-that goes for you too, Jack! No fighting!" Both males turned to the blonde in confusion. "Jack, I'm okay, but thanks anyway!" Usagi glared at the bear, hoping that he'd understand that she wasn't being held prisoner, and that these people hadn't slashed her up. "It wasn't them, I promise. I'll see you later-"

"Usagi," Seiya cried in anger and frustration and complete bewilderment, "that thing can't understand you, so-_what the fu-_"Jack had promptly left, his place soon taken by several disheveled bandits. "Usagi, what's going on? You just yelled at a ferocious creature and it-it _listened to you!" _

"Seiya, what-" began Yaten, just as baffled.

"Shut up and go away!" he yelled in their general direction, and to his surprise, they actually did. He whirled back to Usagi and looked at her with a wary gaze. "Since when do you speak bear and have the big, furry allies in the wilderness? Minus the one that wanted to eat you."

"It didn't want to eat me, it wanted to kill me."

"Whatever! Usagi, you're... weird. That was... ridiculous! Is this some kind of joke? How are you pulling it off? This kind of this is completely beyond reason-"

"Calm down, Seiya. Nobody died."

"You _talked _to a _bear-_"

"Yeah, I did. I have a powerful presence, all sorts of things listen to me."

"Oh really? And do you name them all?"

"Some of them. Not the rats, though. They're gross."

"Stop joking, Usagi. That was not a regular occurrence for us."

"It's not my fault that you want to be in control of everything, Seiya. I happened to help that bear out when it needed help and it took a liking to me. You'd find that I'm very agreeable when I try."

"This is a dream. This is all a dream. Bears aren't that smart, and my group doesn't obey me like a tame flock of sheep following their shepard."

"No offense, but shouldn't they, if you're their leader? Blind allegiance is a sign of good rule."

"Don't change the subject, Usa-"

"Seiya," said Makoto who had just come onto the scene, "we've got some problems that you need to look after. That thing wreaked an impressive amount of havoc."

"Why is _everyone _cutting me off today?" Seiya grumbled, before storming off without another word to Usagi. She thought that he had handled the sudden catastrophe rather well. The blonde talked to Makoto and Rei about random things for a while (after, of course, they had pestered her about the earlier incident). Even Yaten stopped by for a quick chat, whose beginning also had to do with the bear. Seiya, however, didn't come back to see her for the rest of the evening. After visiting with Taiki some to have her health looked after, Usagi gave in to her weariness and retired for the night.

- - -

September 8th, 1243

Usagi awoke the next morning with two primary feelings. Pain, because of the obvious, and a building nausea: the anxiety from knowing that she'd have to leave the camp injured, unnoticed, and before midnight was making her sick. And she was also going to miss her new friends, if you could call them that. After all, Usagi hadn't had any human friends in a while. She was rather lonely.

"It's not so bad," she whispered to herself. "I'm used to it by now." Usagi wasn't stupid, she knew that she was in denial. The blonde had gone so long without being around people, and the forced exposure to society had brought back bad feelings. She hated loss. Usagi'd had enough of that in her life, and had eventually gotten over it-for the most part. She did _not _like this particular sadness coming back. And she certainly didn't like the unfamiliar part of it, either.

Usagi had lost friends before, and family. But she hadn't ever really felt _that _way about someone. Not that she did, though. In reality, she only felt attraction in addition to friendship. And although she'd never experienced that kind of feeling, she was scared of it, and of liking it too much. The loss would hurt more, which was something she would like to avoid. Lucky for her that she didn't feel that way, and that she was leaving today to prevent anything from developing. It was also good that she was mad at Seiya for being immature, as she would miss him less that way.

"It's not so bad," she reassured herself again. Usagi didn't cry so easily anymore, any she prided herself on her strength. It had been hard to develop, but becoming jaded had come along as a negative side effect. Usagi had a strong will and heart, but was still bitter. "I've done it before, and I wasn't as strong then. It's... it's not so bad."

"What's not so bad?"

Usagi hadn't realized that she hadn't whispered the last part, and looked up with a small grin. "All these little cuts. I'm surprised how well and quickly they're healing."

"I suppose. But Usagi... as such a little girl, you should rest up. Don't think you're all fixed up and go skipping around." Usagi narrowed her eyes.

"I'm _not _a little girl," she said quite seriously.

"Little kitten, then. Yes, it's true. So, Kitten, how're you feeling?"

"Much better, as I just said."

"No, that's not what I meant. Emotionally."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean, Haruka." The taller woman shrugged.

"I get that a lot." She walked to the blonde and took a seat to her right. "You look kind of tired-yes, I_ know_ you're injured, don't look at me like that-but you look upset. Not now, but you did just a second ago-and don't you raise your eyebrow at me!"

"Okay, Haruka. You caught me. I was feeling sorry for myself, having to stay in one sport for so long and being bored out of my mind. It's quite hard to be ecstatic in such a situation."

"All right, I get it." Haruka rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry that you're bored. It's to be expected. But you're the one who decided to piss off a large, ferocious animal."

"There's nothing wrong with those." Apparently Seiya hadn't told Haruka about Usagi's interaction with Jack the day before. The blonde supposed she should be grateful.

"Usagi, we can't all be the Queen of the Forest and have an army of woodland creatures at our disposal. Vicious animals are not pleasant, as you have recently discovered."

"Not all of them are so terrible-"

"Tell that to your two 'loyal' subjects which have launched assaults upon you, Kitten. I'm sure the other bears, and the wolves, and the boars would defend you if they decided to attack again." Usagi huffed, and then laughed.

"How do you know they wouldn't? I am their queen, after all. And rebellions happen in all glorious kingdoms, even mine."

"Forgive me, your majesty," Haruka said with an amused smile, "for doubting your marvelous power." Usagi heaved a dramatic sigh and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I suppose that I can forgive you." Haruka huffed at Usagi's theatrics.

"I still can't help but be suspicious of wild animals. I've never encountered such a tame beast, so don't blame me for my attitude towards them, your majesty. Though I shall try to be less biased, if it pleases you."

"It does. And you never know, Haruka. You might just run into a nice 'large, ferocious animal,' among the other terrible 'woodland creatures' one day."

"Yeah, maybe." Haruka shook her head. "Well, I'm thirsty. Going to go get a drink. Want some?"

"No thank you. Maybe later."

"Whatever you say, Kitten."

- - -

The rest of the day was, frankly, ridiculously boring. Usagi was going insane, she was sure of it. The only thing she had to do was sit on her stiff and sore bottom and talk to whichever bandit happened to drop by. This, literally, was what her entire day consisted of. Sitting, eating and drinking, and talking. She didn't want to take the odd hospitality from the outlaws for granted, but it was hard not to just get up and go right at that moment. As much as she wanted to leave now, Usagi was going to wait for the cover of darkness. And so she sat, and sat, and sat.

- - -

_Time to run away and hide, Usagi. Better get going while you're alone, _she thought.

Standing up was much easier than she thought it would be. After days of sitting in one spot (except for the two embarrassing times that Makoto took her into the woods so that she could relieve herself of bodily waste) her legs surprised her by cooperating quite nicely. It was still difficult, but Usagi managed to get on her feet in about a minute. The blonde leaned on the rock for support to gather more energy, which she would need. Usagi had no idea how she was going to do this. While it would probably be easier to walk out of there with two more legs, she couldn't risk it. The white light wasn't very discreet, after all. So she would have to make it out on her own feeble legs.

Usagi looked wistfully in the direction of the fire and jovial voices, which thought she was asleep. The warm glow was visible on the tree trunks around the flames, and she could almost feel the heat it was emitting. With a silent sigh, Usagi turned and started her first step in the opposite direction.

It was only twenty or so feet to the line of trees, and Usagi managed to make the trip. While it had taken an entire sixty seconds to get up, the girl's body got used to movement a little and functioned well enough to carry her safely to the edge of the camp. As soon as she got there, Usagi leaned against the nearest tree to calm her breathing and giver her aching body a short break. She glanced back in the direction of the bandits, and was relieved to find that they were all still occupied. She turned her gaze to the ground with a furrowed brow.

"It's not so bad... three days wasn't enough to get attached." Usagi knew she would miss them. Well, a few. But she would still miss them. She looked up, upset that she was so sad. "Thanks," she whispered to them, and hoped that they would somehow feel her gratitude, because she would never get to tell them. Usagi turned from the warm glow, and faced the dark forest. It was cool, and she would lament the fire and blankets.

The blonde had a sudden, strong urge to turn back around one last time. Her damn heart was acting up again. But she knew what was best, suppressed the feelings, and took a firm step into the darkness. It was painful, but not agonizing. She clenched her jaw and continued on with determination, hoping that once she got far enough into the woods that it would be midnight, and hat she might have an easier time. Her eyes soon adjusted to the night, and she kept going. Occasionally she would pause for a moment to steady herself, but never for too long. She had places to go, and things to do. Or rather, a place. The things would be healing and eating. Basically, to not up and die.

She then remembered something, and quickly began a process as best she could without hurting herself. Usagi undid her bandages and let them fall to the ground. While some would have fallen off when her body changed, others would stretch. The one around her stomach would rip when her torso increased in volume especially, though her legs would slim and their bandages would drop. Regardless, she removed them all as fast as she could.

The stitches were also going to have to come out. While her injuries wouldn't stretch, only change in size to fit her changed body, the stitches would remain the same. And when they were pulled apart so forcefully, her skin would tear most painfully. It was very difficult to take them out before she remembered that she had... _borrowed_ a dagger from the outlaws (she had also borrowed a cloak and some bread). After that, they slid out of her flesh much more easily.

Finally, she stripped herself of all her clothes, putting the loaf of bread in the cloak's hood, and draped it all across her shoulders. Usagi scolded herself for not remembering to take everything that was on her body off, as she never forgot. The girl blamed Seiya and the others for distracting her mind, and taking her thoughts away from her mission to get away and survive. She allowed herself to rest for a moment when she felt a little chilly without a breeze on the wind. It grew colder, and she sighed. Usagi wanted to put her face in her hands and cry, but she would do neither. She didn't like crying, and having her hands against her face wasn't a good thing to do right before changing. She'd learned that standing upright, and being relaxed, was the best way to do it.

"It... isn't so bad..."

Usagi's shoulders slumped at the arrival of her victorious defeat, finally struck by a frigid force and closing her eyes tightly. Her attempt to lose had been a success, and after a flash of light the white creature looked blankly at the leafy ground, then at herself as best she could. As had her size changed, her wounds had also become larger, in proportion. Since they hadn't stretched, they didn't open. Luckily they had healed just enough to not leak blood, the fragile skin just barely been able to form a film of a scab on each cut. The scars would not be nice.

_That's a little better, _she thought.

Four legs were definitely better than two. And the stronger body made it much easier to walk, and less painful. Usagi stilled her traitorous thoughts for the last time, and focused solely on her destination. The sooner she got there, the better.

_All wounds heal with time. Eventually I'll... be all healed. _

_- - -_

September 19th, 1243

_Oh, how I love this water. _Usagi stood still in the clear puddle-lake of hers, letting it comfort herand soothe her wounds.She looked down at her reflection, and saw the grime on her body and the weariness in her eyes. She hadn't bathed in a while, and it was quite obvious. She'd walked a bit to find food other than grass (she hated grass), and was unsuccessful; she was also dirty after slipping in mud after a heavy storm had hit the area. Usagi bent her long, skinny legs and put her head down, submerging her entire body and enjoying the water wash over her. Coming back up for air, she felt a little refreshed.

_I hope I get better soon. _

Her reflection showed Usagi just how similar the woman and mare were. She was a fair girl, and had a fair coat. Granted it was a great deal fairer (simply a snowy white, without a speck of any color), but she was still very light. And the mane was long for a horse's, though not abnormally so. It was soft, and while it was the same brilliant white of her coat, it had a platinum gold shine to it. Not quite as golden as her human hair, but still quite beautiful. But her eyes were what were the most similar. The same color, the same feeling to them. The expressions made on her human face were all shown in her horse eyes, and said eyes were her most human feature. They were shaped like a normal horse's, of course, but the inside was the same as human Usagi's irises.

Although as a woman Usagi was petite, as a horse she was not. She wasn't large, but average-sized. Not too far from the norm. This was good, as she felt a little more powerful, and able to take care of herself. A pony would not be so well off in the wild among the other animals. Usagi was a lovely human, and she likewise made a beautiful horse. While she liked looking pretty as an animal, because it made her feel like less of a beast and more like herself, it was sometimes not for the best. The few encounters she had experienced with humans while she was the mare taught her just how greedy people could be. They wanted the impressive mare, and attempted to capture her for their own. Usagi would have none of it, of course, and never let them get too close to snag her. But it still made her angry.

_...I'm hungry. _

Unfortunately for Usagi, the only food she was able to get was the green plant surrounding the small lake. She hated grass.

It had taken Usagi several hours to get back to her clearing; it had felt like days, but was probably only a quarter of one. This was because she had to walk (although it was much faster and easier as a horse), and took frequent stops. She had no water, and no food on the way. Not even grass (not that she cared too much). Luckily the grass in her clearing was pretty stubborn and durable, and survived up until winter would set in. It would remain green and lush through the fall, and dwindle only near November's end. Some years it was sooner, some later. Usagi loved winter, but had to hate it a little due to the difficulty in finding food. She did have water, what with having an enchanted lake and all. Didn't see them every day. Enchanted grass would have been nice, but Usagi wouldn't push her luck.

She had a couple of months before this burden would come to her, so Usagi would take advantage of the fruit that she could get while it was still available. When she was next human, she would have to go shopping a lot. Shopping without paying for anything. But Usagi needed the food to survive, and it was completely impossible for her to get a job. She had no means of making money, and stealing money to pay for food seemed worse than just stealing the food. It was also more work. There was the usual routine of trying to find nice people to feed the white mare, but she preferred staying away from people in that form.

By now, thanks to the pool and resting, Usagi's wounds were healed enough for her to go about her business as usual. While she tried not to stress herself, Usagi didn't sit around and do nothing anymore. She'd wandered around to stretch her legs and get exercise, and gotten a bit of fruit. Today she had slipped in mud and felt some pain in her leg where one wound was, and decided to abandon the mission, just in case. But regardless of her new ability to move around more, she was still pretty bored. There had been no sign of Jack, and thus no company. She couldn't run around, or travel too far. All Usagi could do was hang around this area and wait. It was very lonely. After being around people for three days, going back to this was more depressing than usual.

Usagi did, however, get to see them-just not in reality. But the dreams were so vivid, that sometimes right after Usagi woke she couldn't tell the difference. And sometimes she wished the dreams were the reality, because when she woke up to find herself alone, a beast, and surrounded by dark silence, she was overcome with sadness. There was not a day that Usagi did not think about those outlaws, and wondered what they were doing. She'd only known them a few days and still missed them terribly. And it made her so angry with herself.

She turned her head to the sky, and gazed up at the moon. There was still a while until she got to be herself again, though it didn't bother her too much. Several times she had thought to go back to Seiya's camp and see how they were doing, but had always decided against it. The desire to check in became stronger each time it arose, and Usagi wondered if she would end up going after all.

_Not tonight, at least, _she thought. Tonight she was just going to go to sleep and be lazy.

Unfortunately for her, Usagi's life was about to get even more complicated than it already was.

-

* * *

- 

Mmmnnghh snarfblat. Sorry, I'm not feeling particularly loquacious today. I feel quite illiterate, and it took me three tries to spell that word right (illiterate). Not been feeling so good, I got dumped. :( Sucks to have him out of my life, you know? Been moping around for a while, I pretty much loved him more than anything. Ouch.

But that will not stop me from posting, haha!

Re-reading and editing this chapter was very time-consuming, because I didn't like it that much (especially the title-I mean, come on, wtf is "retreat" for a title? whatever.). Some parts of this chapter were too sappy/angsty for me, but I guess Usagi has the right to be emo. Her life totally sucks. But it'll get better, Usa, I promise!

Laters.


	7. Return

Disclaimer: No, but that would be excellent.

Notes: None. Yes, none! Amazing.

Enjoy.

Posted 8/23/07

* * *

**Under the Full Moon**

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Summary: A young woman cursed seven years ago was forced into a lonely life of isolation, losing all that she had once held dear. But after a chance meeting in the moonlight, her sad story becomes an enchanted tale of romance. Seiya/Usagi.

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**Chapter Six:****Return**

-

September 26th, 1243

Usagi had given up on berating herself for not having enough self-control. It wasn't as if she would turn back around if she thought about how her self-control was dwindling any more, so she just stopped it altogether. Instead she imagined various scenarios she might encounter in the near future.

Currently, the bright horse was walking briskly towards her latest acquaintances in the early evening. It was a bad idea, she knew. And yet here she was, doing it anyway. The self-control was definitely it wasn't as if they would _know _that she was peeping in on them. Even if the motley crew did catch a glimpse, they wouldn't recognize her. Though she wanted to avoid this at all costs regardless, as they were the stealing-type of folk. Those were the worst. Why wouldn't they want to add another horse to their collection? Usagi assumed that they had a few, though she did not know how many. While she hadn't actually seen any of the animals, it would be essential for the outlaws to have a method of quick transportation.

The setting sun was a nice companion as she continued on, thinking about Seiya and his friends. If you could call them that.

- - -

By the time Usagi could make out the camp through the trees, the sun was nearly over the horizon and painting the sky with lovely colors of blue and purple.

Usagi realized at that moment that she hadn't though about what she would do once she had arrived, which she had. The mare stopped in her tracks and thought about the situation. Were she to get a better view, her abnormally bright coat might give her away. But standing such a distance from the place wasn't doing her any good, either. She might as well be back at the pool.

But she was becoming, as she had noticed, less cautious as the days passed. Normally a planner who was quite careful, Usagi was being rather reckless coming here. She didn't have a reason other than greedy people trying to snare her (as had happened before), and she weighed the consequence against the desire to see those same people. The latter won quickly, as she didn't think about it for long-another thing indicating her growing carelessness.

She was thankful for the developing cover of darkness, one thing that would keep her less visible. Usagi stepped very carefully upon the crunchy leaves, trying to remain as silent as possible. Her finely-tuned ears indicated that her attempt to stay quiet was successful. Still, she trod slowly towards her destination, stopping every now and then and listening carefully to her surroundings.

There was animated discussion around the fire that was being lit by a tall, built man whom Usagi didn't recognize. The white beast halted thirty or so feet from the end of the trees and start of their camp, settling on the view from there. The darkness would not shield her from being close to a blazing flame.

Usagi stretched her slender neck as far as it would go to the left and to the right to see around the trees. She soon recognized Rei with her long black hair, and Yaten with his brilliant silver. There were several others who were not familiar, though she had to admit that many of them were quite attractive. Finley stepped into her view from previously being blocked by a tree, but she didn't care much about him. Usagi wondered where Seiya was most of all, though she would have liked to see Haruka as well.

Her question was answered almost immediately after it had formed in her head. Among other chatting voices she recognized two bickering ones, undoubtedly belonging to those two people she had previously been thinking about. The mare's ears swivelled in place, and she determined that they were a distance behind her. Though she couldn't tell what they were saying, the group was speaking rather loudly and in a generally friendly tone. It was all she needed to relocate at that instant.

Without drawing too much attention to herself, Usagi walked quickly out of her place and skirted the camp. Abandoning the mission would have been more wise, but Usagi didn't feel like doing it. And so she simply moved around, and continued to survey the scene.

Seiya and Haruka were arguing half-heartedly about something, and were followed by Makoto and two men, who again, she was not familiar with. She did notice that one had flaming orange hair, and recalled Finley saying something about it. She wondered briefly is he was the one called Tristan. Usagi didn't bother to put any more thought into the subject. The man next to "Tristan" (she supposed it was him) was abnormally large, and had some pig-like creature slung over a shoulder. Usagi surmised that they had gone out to get dinner, and had brought back this beast to feast upon. But when her eyes rested on Seiya, whom she watched intently, they did not stray to another.

He was wearing the exact same thing that he had been when she'd first met him in the forest (this was not an experience she liked to recall). It seemed that her thoughts of him over the days that she'd been absent from the camp had brought some strange feelings with them. Usagi was embarrassed to admit to herself how much she was attracted to him. But he was very handsome, she told herself in defense. Surely he had the effect on many females (though she didn't know if he got out into society to woo any at all), and so she was no special case. It was normal to be attracted to the attractive, regardless of how much of a jerk they might be.

And yet Usagi couldn't bring herself to think of him so negatively, no matter how strong her evidence was. Seiya was a thief in the flesh, a true criminal. On top of that, he had wounded her, insulted her, and made her utterly miserable. He was stubborn and childish and mean. He was arrogant and conceited, too. Not to mention that he was incapable of maturely and calmly dealing with a crisis and settling down afterwards.

But still she found good in him. Seiya had kept her good company while she was healing. And he had saved her life, regardless of how he had hurt her so. He was a friendly man once she talked to him, and apparently he had taken a strange liking to her. Usagi had the impression that he didn't take well to many people, and thus it was unusual for him to have befriended her so easily and quickly. She wondered if it was out of guilt that he had been so kind, but something told her that it wasn't.

She also wondered if they had thought about her-or rather, if she had been on _Seiya's _mind. For some reason, she hoped it was so. Usagi did know that the more he was on _her _mind, the more interesting he was. And the more interested she became in him, the more she wanted to be around him and get to know the man behind the bandit.

Currently, Haruka and the bulkiest man were hacking apart what seemed to be a boar. It didn't look very pleasant, and thus she diverted her attention back to the raven-haired scoundrel. He was sitting on a rock close to the fire, mindlessly gazing into it. Usagi wanted so much to know what he was thinking about. She wondered if it could maybe involve her? The idea made something flutter in her stomach. Usagi was becoming less wary of these new feelings that she was experiencing after meeting the group as the days had passed. Part of her was adverse to them, but it was slowly being overcome by her curiosity. Usagi rather liked these feelings. She rather liked Seiya, too.

He certainly was dashing, with the fire casting light and shadows onto his handsome face. When he leaned back on his hands, she could slightly make out his flat and strong chest beneath the fabric of his shirt. Seiya had broad shoulders, which added to his already attractive torso. Not that her eyes were roaming his body, of course. It was just very obvious. To anyone who looked long and carefully enough.

Not that she was doing that, no.

She drew in a quick and deep breath when he suddenly turned his gaze in her direction, and she froze at his squinting into the darkness. Usagi knew it was pretty ridiculous for her to think that Seiya had seen her, as she was still a distance away and it was completely dark. The thick trees shrouded her in the night and hid her from the moon, which could illuminate her like a light when she was out in the open.

After a frown, Seiya slowly turned his attention back to the fire. Usagi let out the breath she hadn't realized that she'd been holding in, and shook her head at herself. Silly girl (or horse, rather), thinking that Seiya had crazy senses and night vision. She watched him with a soft expression as he talked to one of the other men, who had taken a seat next to him. Usagi found that she wished that it was her to whom he was speaking. She hadn't heard his voice in a long time, and still couldn't make out what he was saying.

Usagi looked on as the other man stood and spoke to another man, leaving Seiya to himself again. She again found herself wishing to be there with him, able to discuss all sorts of things and just enjoy his company in general. She hadn't had any contact at all after leaving; even Jack hadn't bothered to stop by her pool. She'd been very lonely.

Her intent stare was abruptly changed to a surprised one when the man sprung up from his seat and ran right in her direction.

_What the he-_

But Usagi didn't even get to finish her thought as she felt a heavy weight descend upon her back. Instinctively, she reared up on her hind legs and let out an angry neigh. She felt arms wind around her neck tightly and without mercy, and she tried her best to buck whoever it was off of her. Usagi was only a little relieved when she saw a man topple to the ground, as she realized that there was another attached to her back. Rage erupted within the beast, and all she knew was violence. The desire to flee had been replaced with the desire to hurt.

She thrashed about wildly, and purposefully pummeled the unfamiliar bandit on the ground in the shoulder. She wasn't a killer, but to Usagi, freedom was just as imperative as survival. She'd beat them to an inch from death before they took her. The man on the forest floor cried out in pain at the hit, and the other had the wind knocked out of him as he collided with the ground. It was the large bandit who had carried the boar, and his strength scared Usagi. She brought her hooves down upon the both of them like the beast she was, injuring both arms and legs. The socializing at the camp was apparently too loud and involved for any other members to have heard the fight and come to the outlaws' aid.

The smaller of the two managed to roll out of reach before the mare could stomp on him again, but the larger one was beaten in the chest, which was covered by his crossed arms. The smaller stood and charged Usagi before she executed her next attack, throwing her off-balance. Still, she was able to put her heavy horse weight upon his foot, though she didn't pity him at all when he fell again onto his back.

Usagi was about to attack again, animalistic instinct taking complete control over her. But she had forgotten about another person, who had finally reached the scene. When Seiya placed himself between his fallen comrade and the rearing horse to protect the other man, the fury was erased and instantly replaced with panic. She was a large beast about to strike this person whom she cared about so much, and there was no way to stop herself from falling onto him.

The white creature could do nothing but turn in midair to avoid hitting Seiya, twisting her entire body unnaturally and crashing to the ground. Her heavy body made a great impact with the earth, and she let out an animalistic cry of pain at the collision. Even as a horse she managed to wince at the agony that had shot up her back legs and into her side. Before she had known no pain, but now she was quite aware of it-the new, and the old renewed. Usagi rolled right-side up again, still on the ground but now laying upright.

With great effort, she remained still when Seiya charged her and leapt onto her back, knife in hand lest she try to attack again. When the mare remained motionless, Seiya lowered his poised hand with the weapon. The two men on the ground stayed there, unable to stand or withhold a few groans from the serious injuries recently inflicted. The man with long, black hair stared curiously into the horse's bright eyes. Blue met blue, and Seiya removed himself from her body with both caution and confusion. He was shocked that this mad animal had been so ferocious one moment and completely tame the next. Usagi slowly stumbled to her feet, feeling the ache in her bones that she knew would persist for some time afterwards. Seiya didn't move at all as the white animal regained its footing, instead staring at it with interest. The surprise had faded as curiosity took over, and Seiya put his knife away.

For a moment, the two just stared at each other. He was the beauty, and she was the beast, and yet they managed to stand there in peace. Seiya took a step forwards, and Usagi one back. But she held her ground when he approached again, though it took much courage to stay when he was within an arm's reach.

Seiya seemed to have forgotten that this wild animal had just pummeled his friends, and brought his face not a foot from its own. He stared deeply into one blue eye, studying its familiarity. But no matter how hard he thought, the man couldn't place what he was being reminded of. Seiya then raised a hand, ever so slowly, towards Usagi's face. She had barely felt his fingertips brush against her when his attention was diverted to the two men, and he yanked back his hand back as if burned, turning away from her. Usagi was hit by a wave of hurt, and stepped back from the force.

The man went to his fallen followers, bending to assess their injuries when they called out to him again. The larger one sat up with a grimace and a frown, and looked at his leader.

"Alexander, are you all right?"

"Oh _hell, no_. Seiya, I was just brutally attacked by a wild animal! And _you_-"

"Aaron," Seiya cut him off, "how are you?"

"Bloody _fine,_ I am," he ground out. Aaron was small, but tough. At five foot seven, he was only three inches taller than Yaten, the group's runt. Aaron had strawberry blonde hair that was curly, and bright blue eyes--a decently attractive man. He wasn't scrawny, but wasn't a brute, either. Aaron's appearance made him seem much younger than he was, something he hated as a twenty-six year old man. The group often teased him for it. "But it probably broke my whole arm, bastard animal."

Alexander was the group's muscle, just barely under seven feet-though he certainly wasn't fat, just solid. Underneath his short temper was a gentle giant, though few had seen the nicer side. He was the human embodiment of intimidation standing tall, strong, even though he was one year Aaron's junior. His dark brown hair was straight and fell almost to his shoulders, and his eyes were of the same color. No one teased _him._ Alexander grumbled in irritation, clutching his wounded shoulders. "Seiya," his voice rumbled deeply in his chest, "I can't _believe_ you let that beast get away! Should've killed the thing when you had the chance! It'll come back to murder us _all_, it will."

Seiya turned his head back to see where the horse... had just been. He wished, to his great surprise, that it hadn't gone.

- - -

_That was... strange, _Usagi thought sadly. It wasn't the visit she had hoped for, but the brief connection between her and Seiya might have been worth the trip. It was like she had been looking right at the _true Seiya, _not some cocky bandit. She liked this other Seiya, or at least she thought she did. But gazing at her reflection in the clear water that she knew so well, Usagi knew that she didn't like_ herself._

- - -

In his group of twenty-two, there were seven older than Seiya. The twenty-five year old was one year younger than Taiki, and two younger than Yaten. His second-in-command, Haruka, was three years older than him, and the rest were between sixteen and thirty two. All were in their twenties, save for the kid of the group, William, and the oldest and strongest after Alexander, Marc. The twenty-two were a bunch of very different personalities all pulled together. Despite how different they were, the criminals managed to get along and enjoy each other's company. Sometimes certain people didn't agree, but their conflicts were usually resolved quite easily by their leader.

There were so many unique stories about how the members all joined Seiya. At first it was just him, Taiki, and Yaten. They were next joined by Makoto and Rei, the latter of which brought in Haruka. Haruka knew Hayden (nicknamed Hawk's Eye), who brought along Tristan (nicknamed Tiger's Eye) and Finley (nicknamed Fish Eye, much to his distaste), though the nicknames were generally discarded. Aaron and Alexander, two unlikely best friends, had literally stumbled upon a heist and were the next to join, and brought in more people, who brought in even more people, until there were twenty-two of them. Seiya was very careful about letting people join his gang, as there were many untrustworthy persons in the world. He had come across quite a few of them.

At the moment, Taiki was taking care of Aaron and Alexander. Makoto was doing things to the boar to make it a proper meal, Rei was staring intently into the fire, Haruka was nowhere to be found, and the others were scattered, doing various things like drinking, laughing, and generally socializing before dinner. Seiya had gone off by himself, away from the others behind the large, tall, flat boulder that split the camp in half like a wall (which they had managed to drive nails into to hang things upon, like cloaks, pots and pans, and other miscellaneous things not wanted on the ground).

The leader rested with his back against the cool rock, eyes closed and heat bent. One knee was drawn up almost to his chest with his arms upon it, and the other leg stretched out straight. He couldn't get the image of that horse out of his head. But he couldn't get the image of Usagi out of his head, either. The two battled for dominance over his thoughts, neither managing to win.

- - -

October 5th, 1243

Usagi was well aware of the fact that at midnight tonight, she would be a woman. Whether or not this was good, she didn't know. But it was going to happen anyway. And she knew where she wanted to spend her three days-with the thieves.

To the east of her pool was their camp, and to the southeast of that was a small town called Harth. She'd only been there a few times, as other towns were closer. Eaton, to the north, was just outside of the forest. Arthville, to the northwest, was in the woods. Those two were the safest to go to, though Eaton was closer to Dale, where Minako resided in her glorious castle. Usagi tried to stay away from all of that. She was currently close to Harth, having passed Seiya's place from a distance a while ago. She would see what she could do in Harth, then backtrack to see the outlaws. She was very scared of the last part.

It was a little difficult walking with clothes draped over her back, with nothing holding them down. Usagi had to carry the shirt in her mouth, it had slipped off so many times. The pants and cloak remained in place as long as she walked at a normal pace, and so she did. However, the mare stopped walking when the fall air become colder than it should have been for the season. She looked up at the sky, and the moon told her that there was no cold front moving in, but rather something within her.

October 6th, 1243

There was the usual light, and then she was human once more. The chill took a moment to wear off, so Usagi put on all the clothes as soon as her body would cooperate. It was always hard to get back into woman-mode after being a horse for nearly a month. On top of that, her muscles were always useless for an entire minute or so right afterwards. It was like waking up after being sleep-deprived, like after finally getting to sleep after days without rest, being woken suddenly after only a few hours. She was out of touch with reality, and nothing made sense. But after a minute, she started to recover and got on with it.

- - -

It wasn't too long before Usagi got to Harth, though it seemed much longer without shoes. Usagi had forgotten to bring shoes. She wished she had shoes. The leafy ground, covered with twigs, was something she would have liked to cross with... shoes. Regardless, she got to the town and her feet rejoiced upon reaching lush grass. Since it was just past midnight, most of the place was asleep. Except for those in the pub, of course.

Usagi sought out the bar, and went to work on getting some free food and drink. It would be easier to flirt to get things when she had these clothes given to her by Rei. She'd washed them, and bathed before leaving. And regardless of how injuries would always stay on her body through a transformation, her human hair always managed to come out perfect. Maybe it was because the horse's mane was nearly impossible to get tangled? It didn't really make a difference-Usagi looked good, and would soon feel the same way.

She had been especially depressed this past month because she had been alone after meeting new people. She hadn't slept well, and hadn't eaten well, either. The injuries had hindered her search for food, and as such, her ribs were now visible underneath her clothes. Despite her unnatural skinny state and her pale complection (actually pale, not fair like usual), she still looked attractive.

Needless to say, Usagi was able to eat her fill and quench her thirst for free.

- - -

Just after one in the morning, a full and content Usagi peered around a tree into the camp. She was also very anxious. What was she supposed to say? She had basically vanished, and without any warning. Were they mad, or sad, or indifferent? Had they called out for her when they realized she was missing, or did they go looking for her? The more Usagi thought about it, the guiltier she felt. She hoped that there weren't any intense negative reactions to her unexpected arrival.

Most of the visible bodies were on the ground, asleep. A few were watching the fire die, drinking together. All the people that she had met, save Haruka, were visible. Seiya was one of the men drinking, she noticed, and nearly rolled her eyes. Usagi was curious as to where Haruka was, but didn't think about it in depth.

Luck was on her side tonight. As Usagi waited in the darkness, watching the group, they all eventually retired for the night-except for their leader. She _had _waited there for a long time, but it had been worth it. The blonde gathered her courage and took a deep breath, and prepared to step out into the open-

"Oh, there you are," Seiya said lazily to the woman who had appeared behind him. Usagi jumped back, and decided to remain there for the time being.

"Aww, were you waiting for me?" Haruka said in an overly sweet voice, and Seiya scoffed.

"No. I know you don't sleep well, Haruka, but you usually don't wander off."

"I felt like it." Seiya only shrugged.

"Whatever you say."

Usagi felt her bravery dissolving. With every passing second, she felt more and more scared of seeing them again. And so, she did what she thought was a very stupid idea: and stepped out into the open and cleared her throat.

"Hello, Seiya and Haruka. I-um-how are you doing tonight?" The two paused and turned to look at the interruption. Usagi forced herself to approach them, but stopped a good ten or so feet from the pair. Their expressions were very similar. Haruka's was disbelief and curiosity, while Seiya's was disbelief and simple shock. The former recovered first, and unexpectedly strode over to Usagi very quickly. She glared down at the blonde, and then spoke firmly.

"You are a stupid, _stupid_ girl, you know that?" Usagi looked around nervously, and didn't reply. The older woman sighed before grabbing Usagi and pulling her into a welcoming hug. "Idiot." After a moment, Usagi overcame her surprise, and gratefully returned the gesture with much relief settling into her heart. At least one of them had forgiven her. But what of the other?

Haruka pulled back and placed both hands on Usagi's shoulders, inspecting her. She seemed to approve of her physical state, devoid of any fatal wounds. The taller woman released the shorter, and stepped away. She glanced down at Seiya, who was looking at Usagi in a not-very-friendly manner. Contrary to her character, Haruka decided it was best to retreat, shrugged her shoulders, and walked off into the woods. Usagi and Seiya stared at each other for a moment, and the former spoke first in a very hesitant voice.

"So, uh, how have you been, Seiya?" She was very unnerved when he simply looked her right in the eyes, never breaking contact. His gaze was so intense, that it took everything Usagi had to not look away. Finally, he opened his mouth, and his voice was both quiet and angry.

"Worried sick, you inconsiderate moron!" Usagi's guilt only increased at the unexpected outburst. Anger was understandable, but Seiya was more blunt than she'd predicted he might be.

"Oh, about that. I-um, hah," she sputtered incoherently. "I'm... sorry, that I worried you," Usagi managed after a moment. Seiya abruptly stood, and Usagi nearly jumped at the sudden moment. He stalked over to her smaller figure, and seemed to tower over the intimidated blonde.

"Do you have any idea how much you scared us? You, who were almost dead when I found you, and _would have died _if not brought to medical aid, were _not _healed and just vanished into thin air! You were just _gone, _Usagi. No explanation, whatsoever. You can't possibly understand how frightened we were! We looked all over for you, hell, we're still looking for you. Usagi, _what the hell? _I can't believe you!"

"... I... ah, sorry."

"Sorry won't make it all better, Usagi! You total idiot!" Before she could respond, Seiya had bonked her on the head and then pulled her into a tight embrace. Usagi's muscles tensed from the sudden movement, but soon relaxed and she was able to put her arms around him.

"'Msrry, Sya," she said, muffled against his shirt.

"You have a lot of explaining to do," he grumbled, and paused. "Usagi, you haven't been eating well," he drawled in an irritated voice. "I can feel that fact." Embarrassed, Usagi broke the embrace and avoided eye contact. She stared into the space when Haruka had been, before vanishing into the woods. There was nothing in particular to stare at there, but it was better than looking at Seiya. Not that he was bad to look at, of course.

"Hello," Seiya said to obtain again her attention, "I'm over here-thank you. Now, what I think is that-hey, pay attention!" Usagi again had diverted her gaze elsewhere, but remained focused this second time. "Usagi, you need to eat and sleep. Now, you eat. Next you sleep-no, don't even try to protest. You have no choice." Usagi wanted to frown, but took his command as a sign of friendship and smiled instead.

"I could go with that," she agreed. "Any food you have will suffice." Seiya nodded his head in confirmation.

"Now that's what I like to hear."

Usagi found that she rather liked having his arms around her, and wouldn't mind if it happened more than once. And yet... it was a scary thought.

-

* * *

-

Tada!

Still depressed, sigh. I want my boyfriend back! But... whatever. Anybody know any single and attractive men with sensational personalities? Please give them to me.

I feel like this chapter was a bit choppy, but I didn't do much about it. Oh well. The next one is exciting, and almost complete. Though I may work on IYBMB for a bit now.

Laters.


	8. Hell Hath No Fury

Disclaimer: Haha right.

Notes: ...Sorry for the delay. Ha, don't ask.

Anyway, I've been hearing a lot about DLS not being updated. Sorry about that! It's just that this is easier because I had so much of it done that wasn't posted, and I have none of DLS. I hope you guys understand! But don't worry, it's not discontinued or anything. None of them are. :) I did just update IYBMB, so you can go over and read that to hold you over until DLS. Also, read this one, ha.

Er... violence and bad language in this one. I reckon the rating has to go up sometime, as things aren't going to be sugary-sweet anytime soon. Perhaps next chapter, I suppose. But anyway, sugary-sweet anytime is not something I like. Makes me gag. Bleh! Fluff and waff in moderation, please. Kthnx.

Enjoy.

Posted on 1/13/08

* * *

**Under the Full Moon**

-

Summary: A young woman cursed seven years ago was forced into a lonely life of isolation, losing all that she had once held dear. But after a chance meeting in the moonlight, her sad story becomes an enchanted tale of romance. Seiya/Usagi.

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**Chapter Seven: ****Hell Hath No Fury**

**-**

Usagi was quite content with a full stomach again and a good night's sleep. She hadn't woken up feeling so pleasant in a while, and did so slowly. Glancing around lazily, she noticed that a few of Seiya's men were still asleep. Besides them, the only awake people visible were Makoto, Taiki, Finley, and a rather scruffy redhead she wasn't acquainted with. He didn't look very friendly, and thus Usagi wasn't eager to meet him anyway.

Nobody seemed to take notice that the blonde was awake, so she sat up and looked blearily around at the goings-on. Makoto was eating breakfast this morning next to Taiki, who was chatting with Finley about something that didn't seem to be interesting to either of them. The medium-sized redhead with a scowl was rummaging through a burlap sack-his search was not looking very successful.

"Don't mind Benjamin, he's always grumpy," said a friendly voice from behind Usagi. Turning around, she found Seiya to be staring at the man. "Hates Finley. Maybe it's because he's prettier?"

"Perhaps," Usagi said through a short laugh. The sleepiness hadn't quite left her yet, and she was zoning out.

"But he's not too terrible. Stubborn, pessimistic, and short-tempered, yes. But Benjamin isn't a bad guy. Packs a good punch."

"...That's nice." Seiya only shrugged and went to converse with the man absorbed in the bag's contents. Usagi let her gaze drift over the camp, finding some others to be half-awake and half asleep. She decided to join them by closing her eyes and laying back down, snuggling into the small amount of heat that the thin blanket provided. She felt strangely warm, though, despite the chilly autumn temperature.

- - -

The second time she was awoken, it was by the bustling about by many people around her. Apparently she was the last one up, and all the others were just beginning their day. Most visible were eating, and the sight helped Usagi to wake up more quickly.

She was saved the trouble of getting up and awkwardly trying to get some nourishment when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Smiling down at her was Makoto with a portion of the meal in her hands. The plate was put into the blonde's hands without a word, and she stared confused after the brunette as she walked away off into the woods.

_Weird, _she thought. _Not going to complain, though. _She proceeded to eat, and it was good. Very good.

"I know it's early, but I think you owe me a story," came a smug voice from behind her. Turning around once more, Usagi glanced upwards to see a familiar face. She expected a smug smile to match his tone, but his expression was more serious that she would have thought. Seiya took a seat next to the young woman on the ground, and reclined back on his hands. He said nothing for a moment staring straight ahead at nothing, before looking at her expectantly. She yawned in response and shot him a skeptical look.

"Aren't you a bit old for storytelling?"

"Nope. And you know what I mean, anyway." His face became more solemn, and Usagi noticed that the energy in the camp had died down somewhat, though the others were still keeping to their own business. "Usagi, where have you been?" She resisted the urge to ignore him and go back to sleep, though it was strong.

"Isn't it a little early to be interrogating me? I just woke up. Don't take advantage of my disorient."

"I'm a criminal, I can do whatever I want," he stated simply. "I don't care about laws and rules in society. Etiquette doesn't matter to us." At this she scoffed. Even if it was true, she felt like he had some dignity, and was just using his "profession" to excuse his rude behavior.

"Well, that's very mature."

"Thanks." There was a pause before he understood. "Wait, are you making fun of me?"

"How old are you, two?"

"You're hilarious," he drawled, "and also twenty years off."

"Whatever you say."

"I say that you explain yourself. We may have only known you for a few days, but we took care of you. Saved your life, even."

"After you almost killed me."

"That's besides the point."

"No, it's not besides the point. It's very much-"

"Usagi, stop it." She bit back an angry retort as she realized that they were alone. "It's not every day that we make a new friend. I think you were very ungrateful and inconsiderate to just take off like that. And we were worried about you, too. You were a complete mess. What were you thinking, taking off like that?"

_Nice try, _she thought. "I think a lot of things," she said.

"Usagi, I swear, you are-"

"Almost as irritating as you? Maybe."

"You're... you're... Usagi, shut up."

"Nice comeback."

"Stop avoiding the subject. Why'd you just up and go?"

"I do have a life, Seiya. I can't spend forever just sitting down and wasting time."

"You could've waited just a little longer, don't you think? Until you weren't, say, so bloodied up?"

"What can I say? I'm a tough girl."

"What the fuck is so important that you had to do?"

"Does it really matter?" she asked, but cut him off before he could say that it did. "No. I am sorry to have upset you, though. Thanks for all your help, even though you beat me up." Seiya shut his mouth at that. Usagi turned her gaze from him and stretched with another yawn. She looked down at the food in her lap, and realized that she wasn't really that hungry. But it was a good meal, which was rare, and so she went back to it. She could tell he was looking at her and was not happy, but she paid no attention to him.

"You know," she mused, " you don't act much like a bandit." This appeared to be a terrible insult to Seiya. But to Usagi, it was just a fact. He (and many of the others, too) seemed too nice for a bad guy. The words came out of her mouth before she could think about them, though none of them were lies. "You make yourself out to be this tough, ruthless man, but I just don't see it as your real self." Seiya seemed baffled, and had no response.

"When I first met you, you were all angry like the typical bandit. But after you found out I wasn't out to get you or anything, you were somebody totally different. You even brought me to your home and helped me out."

"Now hold on just a minute-"

"But it's not bad, you know. You don't have to be a macho man and all that stereotypical crap. It's not who you really are, I think, and it's not good to pretend to be someone you aren't. So I don't want to hear these excuses from you about immature behavior being appropriate, due to your true disposition as a criminal, as you say. It's childish, and you should face the consequences of your actions like a real man and not an adolescent."

"If I'm not a real man, then what am I, Usagi?" he said bitterly.

"I think that's something you know the answer to. I've only known you for three days."

"Four, actually. Wait, what? What do you mean by-"

"Sorry to interrupt," came a hesitant voice from behind, "but we have a situation."

"Finley," Seiya snapped, "what's so important?" The smaller man looked very uncomfortable.

"Benjamin and P.B. are going at it."

"Wait,_ again?"_Seiya grumbled and stood. "What is it now?"

"Uhm... I don't really know. William did something to piss Benjamin off, so naturally P.B. got into it."

"And no one _else_ can stop their bickering?"

"I dunno. Haruka was working on it, but told me to come get your 'lazy ass,' so yeah..."

Seiya made an exasperated huff, turned on his heel, and stormed off after Finley, who had left after delivering the last of the message. After a moment of confusion, Usagi scrambled to her feet and hurried after them. Eventually, she caught up to the leader.

"Sorry about this, Usagi. Some of us don't get along, but there aren't many real fights."

"Is this the redhead with a temper?"

"Yeah. You see, William is the youngest of us, just a teenager. He tags along after the twins, Phillip and Bill. We call them P.B., and they're real troublemakers sometimes. Joined at the hip and completely devoid of sibling rivalry, they're like one person."

"But let me guess, the only one they answer to is you?"

"And Haruka when she really gets in a bad mood. Usually she just lets them go at each other, doesn't care about people much."

"She doesn't? But she seemed like a nice person to me."

"Exactly, she was nice to you. Be grateful, it hardly ever happens. She doesn't like barely anybody-like, ever. Kind of a bitch, but we're on the same level, and respect each other. But she really likes you, Usagi, you're lucky." Usagi smiled, feeling a little special. "I guess I can see why, you're not so bad." Usagi just laughed. Her happiness was soon cut short as the three entered the scene.

There was Benjamin, yelling at "P.B.," and the twins shouting back. They looked just under six feet, and Benjamin a couple inches shorter. The twins looked just like such, save for one having darker blonde hair than the other. It seemed like the twin with lighter hair was about to start throwing punches, and Usagi mused that they had arrived just in time to stop the blows. She figured that the shorter man could take one of the twins, but she wasn't sure about both of them. It was easy to identify William, the shortest and youngest-looking of them all. He looked rather like the twins, with hair a mixture of theirs, a medium blonde. The three could be brothers, though Seiya hadn't mentioned it. Their matching green eyes made it very possible.

William, just Usagi's height, was visibly relieved when his superior came into sight. Usagi wondered if this happened a lot. Haruka was only half-heartedly talking to the twins, and Taiki was standing off to the side near William, very bored. Usagi thought that yes, this probably happened a lot.

"Somebody tell me what's going on here," Seiya said firmly, though there was the slightest hint of whine in his voice. Usagi tried not to laugh at him in the serious situation. "Phillip, please explain." The brother with lighter hair turned away from his apparent nemesis.

"Benjamin was picking on Will again," Phillip accused with anger.

"Dear God, Benjamin, what now? Aren't you all too old to fight with a kid?" Seiya asked. The redhead didn't look very pleased, either.

"William pestered me all morning, hid my knife, and put dirt in my breakfast. Dirt! In my food! Hid it under the meat and I got a mouthful of the crap. Dirt! Confessed to the whole thing under pressure, the little sh-"

"Okay, look. I'm not in the mood for this," Seiya groaned out. "William, you really were being a little shit. Stop pulling pranks on Benjamin. Benjamin, William torments you because you're an ass to him. You're an ass a lot of the time, so try a little. Be nice and he'll leave you alone. And as for _you two..." _he trailed off. "...I don't even know. Don't be smartasses, how's that? Okay, I'm done here. Any more fights today will result in me beating people up. Now please, go do something productive with your time. "

After his "peace-making," Seiya immediately exited. The twins followed en suite, with William right behind them. Haruka and Usagi remained, both staring at the ill-mannered thief with them. Usagi couldn't see his face as his back was to her, but she assumed he was glaring right back at Haruka, whose face was in her sight. He turned to follow the others, but not before looking Usagi up and down with a scowl. His observation made her uncomfortable, and it was clear that he didn't like her. She didn't mind when he left.

"And there is a demonstration of teamwork at its finest," Haruka stated.

"Oh, definitely. They sure were friendly with each other."

"Personally I don't like any of them. Benjamin's the worst. The twins annoy me, but not so much as he does. Their tricks amuse me, though they learned not to play them on me quickly. It's entertainment, as long as you're not the victim. William is okay, I guess. Better than the other three."

"Why's that? And is he a brother, too?"

"Not related. William's not bad mainly because he doesn't piss me off. Most of the crew share the same basic personality, with a few traits to make them different. Typical thieves, the lot of us. Kind of like, 3/4 of us are the same, and the other quarter is what makes us individual. William is the opposite, just a quarter of a criminal and the rest a decent kid. He's mature for his age except when he's trying to impress the twins. We're kind of alike."

"That's hard to believe."

"We're from similar backgrounds, I mean. Both pretty big outcasts looking for somewhere to fit in. Families and friends taken from us, nowhere to go, etcetera. Joining Seiya and the others near the beginning solved all of those problems, though there were less of us then. William is a more recent addition."

"I see. No wonder you're so weird."

"Not amusing," Haruka said with a grin, approaching the shorter woman and flicking her in the head. "Come on, let's go."

**- - -**

Usagi was actually bored for the next four hours. There wasn't much to do, and everyone was seemingly always busy doing something. The lead man was nowhere to be seen, which Usagi though weird considering their talk earlier. Being the only unoccupied person there, she felt very out-of-place. She _was_ an outsider, though. Just a random girl hanging around the close group. If you could call them close. The blonde mused that she wasn't too different from them, because she stole things, too. It was a little different, though. And she was apart from them in other ways. Especially apart from them in a certain way. She almost laughed out loud at the thought, but was interrupted by a certain man.

All of a sudden, one very energetic Seiya burst into the clearing.

"Suit up, ladies and gentlemen! There's a carriage of nobles waiting for us to greet them. I say we give them a proper welcome to our home!"

Cheers of excitement were heard throughout the camp, and Usagi looked around confused as the bandits bustled about. Seiya bounded up to her with a grin on his face.

"Get ready for your very first robbery, Usagi. It's a grand experience."

"R-robbery?" she said, astonished.

"Yes, of course! What do you think we do for fun? Drinking and laughing is not all that there is to an outlaw's life."

"You're going to steal from them? That's horrible!" Usagi didn't think she was being hypocritical at all. Stealing money was different from stealing food, wasn't it?

"Oh come on, Usagi. They have enough wealth to make it through. And how else are we supposed to get money?"

"But it's _wrong_ to-"

"Usagi, we don't abide by the law. Hence 'outlaw.'"

"Yes, I noticed."

"Anyway, you won't be with me for the actual robbing. I'll show you what we do in getting there and hiding, but then I have to turn you over to someone else."

"Where are you going to be?"

"As the leader, I have to contribute, of course! In my earlier days as a thief, I worked with others to steal. Now I do it a little less, I'm more of the talker. I lead the ambush, basically. But, of course, I have to have my own heists now and then. It's much too fun to give up."

"...That's horrible."

"And I love it. Nothing's better! Ready to go?"

"What? So soon? But you just now-"

"Good!" he exclaimed suddenly, before dashing to the edge of the clearing. "Move out!"

Usagi managed to gather her bearings and run after the moving group before being left by herself. Confused, she ran with them as they quietly sped through the forest. Usagi was falling behind, though, in her confusion and inexperience. She suddenly felt her hand snatched from her side as someone began to pull her with the group.

"Come on, Usagi. You have to be faster than that!" Seiya said with mock frustration. She narrowed her gaze and picked up the pace, covering the small spark she'd felt with forced anger and extinguishing it before it had a chance to evolve.

Sooner than she thought, the group abruptly halted and she nearly crashed into Seiya's back. He released her hand and turned back to her, making hand motions for silence. He then turned to his fellow outlaws and made a few gestures that she supposed were instructions on how to do whatever it was that they did. They suddenly scattered after one last point from him, some up into the trees and some behind them, and some hidden behind bushes.

Seiya grabbed Tristan's sleeve before the man could go, and pointed to Usagi. She immediately understood and genuinely glared at him. She did _not_ want that man to stay with her-he was a pervert! But the leader had turned walked past them and leaped into a large tree near to the path before he could see Usagi's anger or the other man's devious grin. She rolled her eyes, punched him lightly on the shoulder, and allowed him to lead her to a hiding place that had a decent view of the road. He pulled her down with him into a crouch, and when she opened her mouth to say something rude, he put a finger to his lips and pointed to the path.

When Usagi forgot her irritation to look, she saw a carriage slowly approaching from the left on the road. She looked above and around her, and could only see a handful of the outlaws. She had no idea where Seiya was, even though she knew which tree he was in.

Usagi was suddenly aware of many things. First, she had managed to make friends with people that were, apparently, very dangerous. Second, she had found that their leader was very good at what he did for a living. And last, she realized that she never, _ever_ wanted to get on their bad side. The silence was deadly, and the young woman felt an odd nervousness build in her stomach.

She wondered if the others felt this anxiety, or if it was just her. And if it _was _just her, was it because she was anticipating the robbery, or because she was understanding how serious these people were? Tristan looked at her, then, and seemed to sense her unease. He distracted her from looking up in the tree with a tap on the shoulder.

"If it makes you feel any better, I can't see him, either. He's the best of all of us at stealth." Usagi nodded and smiled. This man could be nice when he was trying. "And as much as I hate to compliment him, he's pretty damn good all around. Just watch..." he trailed off, gesturing with his head back to the road. The carriage was almost upon them, and Usagi could see it well now. It was a fine thing, all fancy and pulled by two strong, black stallions.

Just as it was approaching the tree where the outlaw leader was hidden within, the bandit suddenly dropped from a branch right in front of the vehicle. The horses reared, and the driver nearly fell from his seat from the shock. He looked at the man before him with dread. It seemed he knew what Seiya was, and was thinking of what he was going to do.

"Good day, sir!" Seiya called to the driver in a rather friendly way. The latter did not reply. "I must ask," the thief said a little louder, "that my good friends inside the carriage come out and say hello. I would very much like to meet them." When no one spoke nor exited, Seiya walked around to the side next to the door, and pulled aside the small curtain there.

"I'm so upset that you don't want to see me. However..." he trailed off, making a gesture to his followers behind his back, pointing behind the carriage and down the road. "...I am glad that you've brought me more company." A swift hand darted down and came back up with a gleaming dagger, which Seiya began to clean on the carriage window's curtain. "Out, please. We can all have a lovely talk."

The occupants hastily complied as Seiya backed away from the door. Inside had been two middle-aged men and one older woman, all dressed finely and with much decoration. But then Seiya went still, looking into their eyes, and glared.

"Never mind. Back in with you!" He made a threatening gesture with his dagger, and they rushed inside. Seiya quickly went around to the driver and promptly knocked him unconscious. As soon as this was sone, he sheathed the dagger and drew his double blades, rushing down the road.

"Tristan, what's he doing?"

"Just watch."

Suddenly, another, less fancy carriage came into view. Usagi gasped as she saw three _armed_men, swords drawn, charging at the outlaw leader. She almost cried out in alarm when five more followed, but her fear was short-lived. Without warning, the five were ambushed by five of Seiya's own men, and she recognized Taiki among them. The foreign five were immediately on the ground, and Usagi hoped that they weren't dead. They were just escorts for nobles, not necessarily bad people.

But what really amazed her was the time it took Seiya to dispose of the three attacking him. The first was down before he had a chance to strike, the second after one strike blocked by Seiya, and the third only got two blocked hits in before he was struck down. And yet, amazing as it was, she couldn't miss that look on his face. She wasn't sure it she should laugh or roll her eyes, Seiya looked like he was having so much fun. Was fighting supposed to be fun? Apparently, at least for him, it was. It seemed like the carriage was much bigger inside than it looked, because more men poured out of it.

Usagi really hoped that they weren't being killed. At the rate Seiya was going through them... she really hoped they weren't dead.

"Tristan, those men aren't..."

"No, they're alive. We're more of a... stab and hit kind of gang."

"...What?"

"We injure them, but knocking them out is just fine. Unless it's a life-threatening situation, we don't kill people. We just rob them."

"You're still criminals," she said with a little relief.

"There's no better life."

"So I've been told." Usagi sighed and shook her head, then looked up at the scene. Her eyes widened and the smile faded. Seiya had abandoned the fight, his attention grabbed by something else. The carriage was moving again!

The man was sprinting up from behind the carriage, and made an admirable leap to the top of it, shoving his knives back in their places and drawing his dagger in a flash. Dagger held in his teeth, Seiya grabbed hold of the top of the vehicle, climbing onto it as it began to move. It picked up in speed, outlaw leader still on top, and his bandits none the wiser.

"Tristan, they're getting away!" Usagi said, alarmed. "We have to do something!"

"What?" he asked, still looking at the small battle further down. Usagi pointed to the fancy carriage; the driver had come to and was back to his job, and his vehicle was rapidly speeding away. "Usagi, we'll make a thief out of you yet!" he exclaimed happily.

"No, I didn't mean-oh, whatever!" she submitted with a frustrated groan. "Do something!"

"As you wish, my lady," he said with a grin, standing up and whipping out a bow and arrow faster than she could blink. In an instant the front-right wheel of the carriage was broken and its movement ceased, the owner of the arrow that had done so wearing a cocky smile.

"...That was pretty impressive," she said, commenting both on Tristan's aim and Seiya's ability to stay upright as the carriage violently lurched.

"Yes, I know," he replied. "There is, of course, more I can always do to make an impression on you." She would have scoffed if she were not so taken with Seiya's performance. The carriage, despite the wobbly, broken wheel, was managing to carry on. Usagi rose from her spot and dashed after it as it neared the edge of her vision.

"Usagi, wait!" Tristan called after her, following behind. "Where are you going?" he asked, having caught up with her.

"To get that carriage, that's where! He may be an expert thief, but do you really think Seiya can do it all by himself?" He grinned. Yes, he did think his leader could do it. But it was more fun participating.

"Great idea, Usagi!" She nodded and turned her attention back to Seiya and his predicament. "I knew you'd come around!" But Usagi wasn't paying attention to Tristan, having stopped in her tracks to watch the scene.

Seiya was, quite impressively, hanging on the side of the carriage, one hand holding him to the vehicle while the other worked on disabling the wheel that Tristan had damaged. He took his dagger from his teeth and jammed it hard into the contraption, halting its turning and slowing the carriage significantly to allow him to move more easily. Jumping around on a rapidly moving vehicle was rather hard.

He then swung himself upright, and shimmied around to the front. Hauling himself up to the driver's seat, Seiya gave the driver a brief, forced grin, before punching him in the jaw and knocking him off of the seat completely, onto the ground.

Usagi watched as he took hold of the reins, and pulled the carriage to a stop as if he did it every day.

"...Oh." She stated simply, staying rooted to the spot on the tree line. "I suppose he didn't need any help."

"Doesn't usually."

Seiya stood up, and hopped off with ease. He regained his knife from the wooden wheel as he made his way to the small window. Pulling the curtain aside, he peered inside at the occupants.

"Well, that was fun. Out with you lot, again." He yanked open the door, agitated, and the three piled out.

"Let him have his fun, Usagi. Wait here with me." She nodded.

"Your driver, currently indisposed, is quite the fighter."

"What have you done with him?" the elderly woman demanded.

"Got rid of him. Now, I'd like that ring of yours. And the necklaces. And those watches, from the gentlemen." They complied after Seiya decided to show off one of his long knives. He then turned his head just a little towards the place where Usagi was. "Tristan, bag?"

"Of course," the other man replied, taking some kind of pouch from his side and leaving their hiding spot.

"Oh, and the wallets, as well." They glared, and Seiya noticed something. He addressed one of the men. "Surely your horse has no need of such a heavy load, good sir. I shall relieve it of that purse."

"The king will hear of this!" He shot back.

"Well, I certainly hope so!" Seiya replied with an amused laugh. "How else can I get action into my life? And the voice of the common people must be heard. We are too often overlooked-perhaps this notification will provoke his _majestic majesty _to do something to help the less fortunate!"

Usagi watched Tristan go, and wondered if she should follow. Against her instinct, she stayed. There was no knowing if there was another one of those guards hiding inside the carriage, after all. She was only experienced in running away, not fighting. So, instead of going to the scene like she wanted, she stayed put. It was only safe, after all, staying in the trees. But this rationalizing vanished when a raspy whisper filled her ears.

"Make a sound and you die."

_OH SHIT._

Lost in her own thoughts, and having been deprived of her escort, Usagi had been left vulnerable to attack. And apparently, the band of outlaws had missed one guard. With cold metal pressed to her throat, and her heart racing, Usagi prayed that someone would help her out of this mess. But she wasn't doubtful that they would. This man would demand their property back in exchange for her, and she'd be released, then Seiya and company would rob them again. Simple.

But if it was so simple, why was he backing up?

"Wha-"

"Sssh!" he hissed, and she whimpered when the knife cut into her skin. She'd never had her throat slit before, after all. Being held at knife point was not a usual occurrence in Usagi's life.

_What is he doing? This isn't how a ransom works. He should be going the other way, and demanding the money back. Why are we going backwards? _

_I have a bad feeling about this._

_- - -_

Meanwhile, Tristan was smirking as he watched the shiny objects being dropped into his pouch by the nobles. Most of the other outlaws, having disposed of the rest of the men, gathered around. Haruka was looking around, confused, while Yaten approached Seiya.

"They're all out, but one got away. Some of us went after him," Yaten reported.

"Good," the leader replied.

"Seiya," Haruka began in an odd voice, "where is Usagi?"

"She's with Tristan."

"No, she's not." Seiya looked around at the speaker, finding that Tristan was standing right next to him, and Usagi wasn't.

- - -

She was currently still being dragged away, now more quickly that they were out of sight. But they were still within earshot, and Usagi weighed her options. She could scream and try to make sure she didn't die, or she could let this go on for a little while.

She opened her mouth and took in a deep breath, deciding to go with the screaming, but stopped immediately when she was cut deeper.

"I told you to be quiet, sweetheart."

_...You can't be serious. He's just a horny guy! This is bad._

"So be a good girl and keep your mouth shut."

_And Seiya said that this would be fun. This is not my idea of having a good time. I should have followed Tristan. That's the last time I go against my instincts. _

"What do you want?" she hissed quietly, having no desire to be cut more.

"A lot of things. But right now, you'll do."

_Oh, so gross. This is bad. _

"You're_ disgusting-_"

"And_ you're_ at my mercy, so shut up."

This dragging went on for several more minutes, until he suddenly spun her around and slammed his mouth upon hers. Usagi felt like she was going to gag. His breath was foul and his hands were rough against her bare upper arms. He smelled filthy, and his actual cleanliness was just as bad. To make it worse, he was too strong to escape and covering her with his dirty body. It was one of the more disgusting moments of Usagi's life.

Trying to ignore how dreadful the whole situation was as he forced her to the ground, Usagi looked around for the knife that she knew was somewhere on the ground. She was going to stab this _bastard_ in the jugular like he had to her. But she was going to do it much harder.

She finally spotted it when the sharp gleam attracted her attention, but it was about ten feet away. Still, she had to get to it. Any would-be rescuers were occupied with a robbery. And to think that she'd wished that none of these men had died. Usagi took it back. She wished this one had been killed. Did Seiya and the others have any idea where she was? Did they care that she was gone and probably about to be raped?

Maybe. But there was not guarantee, as she was still trying to save herself, quite convinced no outside help was coming.

Usagi tried desperately to get a hand near his face, and managed to scratch his eye when she finally did. He cried out in pain, and she pushed him off of her enough to escape. She was so very close to the knife when she was pulled back down, her mouth being assaulted for the second time. Her legs were pinned down by one of the guard's knees, and her hands stuck above her head by his stronger ones.

When she bit down on his tongue, he pulled back and slapped her hard across the face. Tears stung her eyes from the hit, and she blinked many times to overcome the shock. The man had a good few seconds to violate Usagi before she came to, taking her struggling back up again.

"Be nice," he growled against her lips, straddling her smaller body and pinning it securely to the ground.

_No way in hell!_ she thought. _There's no way I'm letting you do this to me!_

- - -

Seiya's face was both confused and angry. "Didn't you just say that one of their men got away, Yaten?"

"Yeah, why so do you-oh, no. You don't think that-"

"Shit!" Seiya exclaimed, putting it all together. "Haruka, finish this." His second-in-command nodded, and he dashed into the woods in the direction that Tristan and Usagi had just been.

- - -

Her efforts had paid off, and though her muscles ached, the blonde had eventually gotten a way to defend herself against the predator. The anger in Usagi had gotten rid of any guilt that she might feel when she stabbed the man. And so, with the weapon finally (and barely) now in her possession, she drove it into his shoulder with as much strength as she could muster. With a howl of pain he had released her, and Usagi took the opportunity to remove herself from his person.

Taking control of the situation, she rolled away from the injured man, only to strike at him again. There was a streak of red across the face as she slashed it diagonally, all the way from his hairline to his chin. But Usagi wasn't yet satisfied with the damage. Standing, she again assaulted the man lying flat on his back. The woman brought her foot down hard between his legs, robbing him of whatever fight he might have had left in him. With her attacker at her mercy, Usagi gave him no sympathy and proceeded to beat and kick him in his defenseless state.

One man was not enough to take Usagi down, and she was good at taking care of herself. As if proving this to one man would prove it to them all, the blonde showed that she wasn't one to be messed with. Years ago she might have stopped hurting someone like this after she was able to escape, but the years had not treated her well, as had the men not. Tears of frustration, hurt, and fury blazed down her face, which was contorted with the emotions. At the moment, Usagi didn't care how much she was acting like the beast that she was.

By the time Seiya arrived at the scene, there was no need for him to rescue any damsel in distress. It was more of the other way around. He ran onto the scene and, after a moment of shock, snatched Usagi up and away from the maimed male on the ground-not that it was an easy thing to do. Seiya was unsure of what events had transpired, though he had an idea.

But Seiya was certain of one thing-he never wanted to be subject to Usagi's wrath.

The woman was still squirming in his grasp, and the thief struggled to keep his hold on her. Seiya had grabbed the hysterical blonde from behind by the waist, and he tried his best to turn her body around to face his. All he could think of doing was getting Usagi to recognize him as a friend, and cease her thrashing. The man managed to turn her a little, and hoped her could get her attention, because his arms were getting tired.

"Usagi,_ Usagi!_ Stop moving around already, it's me!" She did not respond to his words. "Argh! Usagi, it's Seiya! Remember me? I'm the guy you_ don't_ want to beat up! I'm your friend, Usagi!" He was getting desperate. "USAGI!"Sometime through his shouts, the woman began to come down from her high, and calmed somewhat.

"Wha... Seiya?"

"Yes! Yes, that's me! Now please, stop trying to kill me!" Usagi's body went almost limp in his arms, breathing heavily in quick pants. Suddenly it was a struggle to hold her up, and Seiya barely managed to catch the woman when her knees gave out. "Shit, Usagi. You okay?" She only groaned. So much of her ached, perhaps most of all her heart.

Coughing came from below them, and Seiya spied the man sprawled on the ground a distance away, whimpering and still. The black-haired man slowly lowered himself and the strange female in his arms to the forest floor, carefully setting her down to sit. She zoned out at the ground until he called her name, and she looked up at him with weary, anguished eyes. His concern was evident.

"Usa-"

"What the?" Seiya turned to his right to find Tristan, gawking at the scene in general. Seiya looked from Usagi to the man on the ground to Tristan several times, then addressed the orange-haired man.

"Please, just don't ask. Take her back to camp, will you?" Tristan surveyed everything a little more, blinked a few times, and bent down with a perplexed expression. "And inform our wealthy friends on the road that they're missing someone, please. But give it ten or so minutes, yes?"

"Uh, sure thing, boss. Whatever you say..." Seiya nodded, and watched his comrade pluck up the tiny blonde from the ground, who was still dazed. He was partially grateful for that, and exhaled a deep breath as his friend pulled the blonde up with hands under her arms. Tristan looked down at Usagi with sympathy. "Come on now, love. I'll have to carry you if you're no sturdier than jelly. And you're too pretty to be tossed over my shoulder unceremoniously." While Seiya doubted Tristan would actually do so, the statement seemed to bring Usagi back to her senses. The woman nodded lazily, and Tristan released his hold on her shoulders. She wobbled for a moment, but was in good enough shape to manage on her own. The man with orange hair turned back to his superior, who now stood beside him.

"Don't worry about me, I'll catch up with you in a bit." Tristan shrugged, patted Usagi on the head and was rewarded with a scowl, as she wobbled dangerously on shaky legs.

"Ah, sorry, Usagi. We'll be off, then." Tristan put a hand on her back and gently began to escort her away, and Seiya watched their retreating backs with a blank face. Neither turned to look back at him. Seiya then diverted his attention to the other person in the area, and his blank face was quickly contorted with anger. Just as the man finally found enough strength to sit up, Seiya was upon him in a flash.

The thief shot out his left hand and grabbed a hold of the man's collar, then yanked him up to stand without mercy. He would receive very little. Seiya roughly pulled his victim close, bringing their faces just inches apart. The stranger squirmed, but it was in vain-there was no way his captive was letting him go. His eyes met Seiya's, and their blazing fury made him nauseously scared.

"How close to death do you think you are?" Seiya growled, seething. The man sputtered, but formed no words. His growing fear was visible. "Not close enough," Seiya ground out. His victim raised shaking arms to Seiya's arm holding him up, in a weak and futile attempt to free himself. "I'll fix that for you. Shall we see just how near to eternal slumber you can go?"

The man's eyes widened and he instantly regretted even thinking of taking advantage of the attractive blonde. He'd never intended to get himself in such a mess when he snagged the girl, who he was eager to touch and explore. Her body had called out to him, and as a result...

"I think yes."

The stranger blinked just once before Seiya swung his right fist straight into his prisoner's nose. His neck snapped back, and Seiya hoped that the whiplash was painful. When the man's head rolled back to face Seiya, his broken nose was apparent.

"Bas... bastard," the captive croaked out without thinking, and felt the wave of outrage emitting from his attacker. But the mistake had already been made. Seiya's voice rang out through the trees with a vengeful roar.

"I am going to break every bone in your body, you FUCKING _WORTHLESS_ PIECE OF SHIT!"

In one swift motion, Seiya released the man from his relentless hold, took a step back, and again let his knuckles fly into the head of Usagi's near-rapist. He crashed to the ground hard, and had just a moment of peace before a great weight fell onto his chest and countless blows were dealt to his face. It felt like hours before the weight was lifted, and it was replaced by Seiya's hand. The infuriated man drove his fist into the helpless man's gut, which made him immediately sick. Seiya allowed him to empty his stomach of all its contents, but gave no time for rest afterwards. His foot connected with the fallen male's ribs, and the stranger had no voice to express his pain.

"_Rape,_ good sir, is not to be taken lightly," Seiya threatened in a deep, deadly voice. "I have not one shred of sympathy for you. Men who take advantage of women, _especially_ ones like her, deserve a slow and painful death. You picked the wrong girl, my friend. Couldn't have chosen a worse person to violate." With his lightening-quick reflexes, Seiya drew from his waist a shining dagger. Before the mauled male could comprehend what the flying silver was, the blade was embedded deep within his right shoulder. This finally brought a scream from his bloody lips, yet none of it affected the man holding the knife in place.

"Killing does not bother me, you fucker. I should slaughter you here and now. You're a pathetic bastard and deserve to experience the most excruciating pain possible." Tears fell from the man's lazy eyes and he coughed weakly. The bandit kneeling beside him sneered. "Simply pathetic," he spat. "Pathetic... and not worth my time. Consider this the luckiest day of your life." After a sadistic twist of the dagger inside the man's shoulder, a seemingly heartless Seiya yanked out his weapon and moved it away from the fallen male. He was, just as promised, an inch from death.

"You will never harm another woman for the rest of your life, that I promise you."

With that Seiya stood, vicious and unfeeling, and left the mess of a man to his own devices. With every day it took for him to recover, which Seiya was assured was many, the man would remember the pain. And he_ would_ obey the thief's words.

* * *

...I am not fantastic at writing action. I try to stick to other stuff if possible. Sometimes it's fun, but not my forte. 

Also, I put the dates of days to give an idea of when things happen in the story, not to really set the time period. I suck at history and don't know hardly anything that has happened before I was born. I wikipedia'd Robin Hood to find out when the dude was supposed to be around, as I was going for the time bandits would be up and about in England. I picked a random year and used it. So yeah, people should probably be wearing wigs and frills and talking all weird, and being super proper and conservative, but... no. This is fanfiction, not real fiction. One day I will write real fiction and get published. Right now I will do whatever.

Also, wtf with the twins and stuff? Why did I even put that in there? Probably it was too short. Except... it turned out to be really long. Didn't realize how random it was until now. Oh well.

Sometimes when I go back and re-read my old stuff, I want to gag. Does that ever happen to anyone else? I'll just... chalk it up to improvement or something.

Can you guess the next chapter's title? It's pretty easy. What is it that hell hath no fury like? The answer: a woman scorned. So keep an eye out for chapter 8, Like a Woman Scorned. Ooh, suspense.

Laters.


	9. Like a Woman Scorned

Disclaimer: Nope nope.

Notes: Sorry about being dead for like... a year. Or more. You know how when you miss work/class and don't make it up right away, it just kinds of looms over you and you want to do it less and less? And it keeps getting harder to make yourself do? Yeah, that's how I'm feeling about my fics. I like them and enjoy writing, but I've been busy and lazy. Hopefully the summer vacation will help clear out my head.

Oh yeah, and Usagi's dress is this: http : // www. Yosa. Com /catalog/assets/images/tempest-chiffond. Jpg

Except the blue is pink and the white is yellow. :) Just take out the spaces in the URL!

Enjoy.

Posted 5/8/09

* * *

**Under the Full Moon**

-

Summary: A young woman cursed seven years ago was forced into a lonely life of isolation, losing all that she had once held dear. But after a chance meeting in the moonlight, her sad story becomes an enchanted tale of romance. Seiya/Usagi.

-

**Chapter Eight:** **Like a Woman Scorned**

**-**

October 7th, 1243

The next morning, after a great deal of sleeping late, Usagi decided she wanted to go out. Perhaps it was due to yesterday's events, which she didn't remember with perfect clarity, that she wanted to be around lots of people. The answer: shopping. Without money. Usagi had none, after all. More of browsing. The problem: getting there. She only had two legs and wasn't up for a walk. This problem was solved by Haruka, who, when told about Usagi's desire to go to the town, revealed that they were in possession of four horses. The older woman also informed Usagi that she could get anything at all that she wanted to, as Haruka had recently come into a lot of money from the previous day's heist.

"You can take the black one," Haruka said. "It's Seiya's, and generally the most friendly to strangers. Annabel here is mine, but she doesn't like much of anyone but me."

"You seem to be pretty smug about that."

"I am. But Eros is out with Tristan and Evita's gone, too. So, you can take Alaric."

Usagi eyed Seiya's horse, tall, strong, and pitch black. It was docile, but powerful. Haruka's was only slightly smaller, a light, creamy brown like her owner's hair but with feisty eyes and a nasty disposition. Usagi approached Annabel, ignoring Haruka's protest, and placed her palm on its neck. Stroking the allegedly savage beast, the blonde girl turned to her friend and grinned.

"What did you do?" Haruka asked, astonished. "You—you tamed my horse. She's fierce and wild, like... like me!"

"Pretty lady," Usagi cooed to the animal. "Will you let me ride you?" With no objection from Annabel, Usagi climbed atop the horse and they moved forward a few steps. "I'm more fierce then you think," Usagi said with a smile. Haruka rolled her eyes, humbled before this tiny woman, and trudged over to Alaric.

"I don't know how you did it, but nobody needs to know. Let's just go already."

"I'm following you."

"Oh, right. Nearest marketplace sound fine to you?"

"Sure." Usagi heard Haruka grumble some choice words under her breath before they rode off into the forest.

- - -

After dropping their transportation off at some kind of horse... drop-off, the females made their way into the bustling market. There were stands displaying anything from food to jewelry to hats and belts. There was a large pen with various dogs for sale, which seemed to be well-fed and cared for. A shine caught Usagi's eye, which she began to approach. Haruka split to look at knives some number of aisles over, telling the smaller woman to stay put for a few minutes. Not wanting to be harassed by the seller of the jewelry, Usagi admired them from a distance. While the sparkling objects were appealing, Usagi found her attention drawn instead to the right.

In a small, fenced-off area, there were a dozen horses crowded together. Nothing like the dogs' pen, this place was horribly maintained. A rather dirty looking man of short and stout stature was talking to many other people, appearing to be haggling with them over the price of the animals. They were tied up in that small space and thus were completely miserable, as it seemed to Usagi. She turned her body away from the jewelry stand and slowly approached the scene. When one of the animals whinnied among the discontent, the man selling them took a whip from his waist and struck it. The surrounding crowd of people seemed distressed as his wrist snapped again, stinging the poor creature's face. He moved his arm again and again, stirring up more discomfort among the crowd.

Suddenly insulted, Usagi strode angrily to the man, tapped him firmly on the shoulder, and spoke similarly. "Stop that!" The man turned around after a moment, irritation apparent. He was just barely taller than her, with straggly brown hair and dirt on his face. For a second his stare continued, but he soon sized her up and had a change in temper.

"Well hello, miss," he tried to say smoothly, but his character prevented it. Usagi ignored it. She was too upset to bother with his antics.

"What makes you think you can treat anything with such cruelty?" she quickly accused, and his demeanor changed.

"I can do what I want with my animals, and I won't be havin' them misbehave."

"_Misbehave?" _she almost shouted. "If anyone's misbehaving, it's you. How can you chain up so many horses, in such conditions, and then hurt them? It's preposterous!"

"Listen here, little lady, nobody tells me what to do with my property." Usagi rose to his challenge, stepping closer and standing as tall as she could.

"Property? Those are living creatures, not things! You can't just hit them and–"

"They ain't yours, that's for sure." By this time, a crowd had begun to form around the two arguing people. "Don't be telling me what I can't be doing with them!"

"And they're yours, you say? Where did you get them? Did you raise them or buy them?"

"Found 'em all. Took a lot of trouble, too!"

"So you're selling wild horses? No wonder they're so upset!"

"Your mouth gonna get you hurt one day! Now get out of here!" The blonde got much closer to him, within a few steps of his foul self.

"Not until you stop hurting them," she growled. "In fact, you're going to let them go. Every last one."

"Shut your mouth!" he bellowed, shoving her. The crowd gasped. Enraged for his behavior towards both her and her brethren, Usagi slapped him across the face, bringing more noises from the people. The man held his cheek for a moment in shock, but the anger returned in full-force. "You fucking bitch!" he shouted as he pulled back his fist to strike her. His hand was flying at her face before she could move, and she barely had time to close her eyes before the collision.

There was the noise of knuckles hitting jaw and a body hit the ground with a cry of pain. Usagi opened her eyes after a moment to discover that it was not her in the dirt, but the sleazy man. He was staring up in disbelief at his apparent attacker, who looked back with an emotionless face, save for the angry eyes. Usagi would have expected it to be Haruka before she actually turned her gaze to the other person, but it was not.

It was a tall man with cold, violet eyes and medium cut hair which was a startling white, with a faint blue tint. It fell gently across his fair-skinned face, which was handsome in a strange way. He didn't look friendly, but he didn't look unfriendly, either. When he spoke, his voice was silky smooth and low, and his eyes flashed like angry diamonds.

"A man who dares to strike a lady is not a man at all." The words came out deep and powerful, rumbling up from his chest and intimidating the smaller man like Usagi had never seen. Not that she had seen much human interaction, for better or worse.

The mystery man pulled out a coin purse from his pocket, and scooped out a handful. Usagi's eyes widened as a waterfall of gold poured onto the fallen man's head. She hadn't seen such riches since her childhood times playing with the princess. After dumping the metal on the horse-abuser, Usagi's savior approached the horse pen, opened the gate, and stepped back.

There was a rush of adrenaline in Usagi's veins as all the beasts escaped their frail, wooden prison and bolted to the trees. The display of freedom for her beloved animals brought the urge to flee after them, to gallop freely with the wind. But just as quickly as they had been set loose, the horses had disappeared into the forest.

The crowd around them was buzzing, and Usagi felt overwhelmed knowing she was one of the topics being buzzed about. She glanced around at the people, who were a mixture of different emotions. All of them were shocked somewhat by the display–not only by a man pushing a woman, but by a woman standing up for something. She felt entranced by the commotion surrounding her, slightly afraid and impressed at the same time. The man next to her turned to face Usagi and stepped closer, attempting to get her attention.

"Care to go for a walk?" came his voice, bringing Usagi out of her reverie.

"Sure," Usagi followed his lead, falling into step beside him. After a moment spent collecting herself, Usagi took a deep breath and thanked this man. "I, um... thanks. You know, for not letting me get punched in the face." For some reason she felt very idiotic, but shook it off. "My name is Usagi," she said to strike up the conversation.

"You can call me Damian," he replied after a moment of hesitation. "So, Usagi, do you usually pick fights in public?" She could barely detect the light nature of the question.

"Only sometimes," she replied with a small laugh, quickly getting over her recent, intense interaction with a fouler being. A hint of a smile played on his lips, and she found him to be rather handsome. "I try to do it in situations in which I'm at a disadvantage, also. Especially with people who look unpleasant."

"You're a funny girl," he said after a pause. "It's not often you find a lady with a sense of humor and a fighting spirit."

"Why, thank you."

"Tell me, Usagi, are you from around here?"

"No, actually. I'm just in town to browse around. What about you?"

"Same." He turned his gaze from the stands and back to her face. "I didn't think you lived in Harth. Doesn't really suit you."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's a small, mediocre place. Not bad, but I can't see you accommodating well to everyday life here."

"...And why do you say that?"

"You're not boring. Most people here are, it's why I just come for the goods. They have a lot to sell, and most is of very good quality."

"Where do you live, then? Judging by your attire I wouldn't guess a small place like this, either."

"And why do you say that?" he imitated. She rolled her eyes with a smile, feeling strangely comfortable with this new acquaintance.

"Because you look rich. And also because of that display of wealth back there."

"I live just outside the village... and you're not one to hold your tongue, eh? Boldness is another suppressed trait in today's female." Usagi wanted to hit herself in the head. She'd forgotten that she was out in public with people who were remotely civilized, not bears or bandits. The man was easy to talk to, and Usagi found that she couldn't help herself.

"Ah, sorry. I never really adapted to society's expectations."

"I noticed. But don't worry, it's not a bad thing."

"I know most people would say otherwise."

"It's... refreshing, meeting a young woman with a personality. Individuality in women is discriminated against, but you've set your own standards. Don't be sorry about it." Usagi turned to him as they walked and flashed a smile. It was a pretty big compliment, whether or not it was meant to be so.

"Well then, I won't be."

They strolled in comfortable silence through the market, glancing around at the various stands and goods being sold at each. This continued on for a while, and the thought of Haruka being around somewhere, possible wondering where she was, didn't cross Usagi's mind. It was probably because she was so used to doing everything by herself for so many years, but maybe also because she was thinking about the man beside her. Usagi hadn't really been the object of a man's attention before, so it was a new experience that she was willing to explore.

"Tell me, Usagi–what are you doing tomorrow night?" Usagi paused. She hadn't had real plans in years.

"...I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"

"Like I said, it's not every day you run into a unique woman. I'd like to get to know you better, Usagi. Would you like to have dinner with me?"

Her first thought was to reply with a 'hell, no,' but other words tumbled out of her mouth. "I don't see why not." This was not a good idea, she knew. People, especially men, were not to be trusted. But for some reason, Usagi went against her long-strong instinct to stay away. "You did help me out a lot today, after all."

"There you are! Usagi, I've been looking all over for you!" An angry Haruka approached the couple. "Oh... who's your friend?"

"Haruka, this is Damian. Damian, Haruka." Haruka looked at the man for a moment with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Do I–do I know you from somewhere?" she asked. "You look familiar, have we met?"

"I don't think so," he replied. Haruka narrowed her eyes at him, and his went back to Usagi. "So then, at this spot, as the sun sets over the horizon?"

"How poetic," she drawled, before realizing her unkind tone of voice which she was used to. She sighed and laughed half-heartedly."Oh sorry, I'm at it again."

"It's no matter. I'll see you tonight then, Usagi. Your friend is waiting for you–there, you see?" Damian gestured to behind Usagi, and she turned to see Haruka now some distance away staring death in their direction.

"So she is." Usagi shook her head with a laugh, but her face changed as she turned back to the man. He had stepped closer, and was looking at her in a way that was new to the blonde.

"This is the part," he said quietly to stay out of earshot from Haruka, "where I would kiss your hand and bid you a fond farewell." The red was quick to rise in Usagi's cheeks. "But I don't think your friend would appreciate that." Damian took a step back with a smooth smile and raised his voice back to a normal volume. "Until tomorrow evening, then. Take care, Miss Usagi."

"I... likewise."

Usagi watched him walk away, until her friend came up from behind her and spoke.

"I don't like him," was Haruka's curt greeting.

"You don't like anyone."

"That's not true, Usagi! First of all, there's something off about him. And second, I like _you." _Usagi laughed, dismissed her odd comment about déjà vu, and followed Haruka's lead back to the horses.

"Yes, and I am among the multitude of people that you are fond of."

Haruka provided no response other than a scowl.

"Okay, let's see. You like those that you live with, right?"

"No."

"Well, some of them."

"They're tolerable," Haruka said after a pause.

"Maybe there's some man you like?" Usagi mused. Haruka seemed to choke on a laugh. "Surely you're not immune to romance and have had _someone _in the past."

"Maybe," came the reply with a shrug. "I'm a complicated woman."

"What do you mean by that?" Haruka smirked.

"I'm very picky."

"Oh fine, you can be enigmatic if you want to."

"I shall." Usagi huffed as Haruka cast a sideways glance at her. "And what about you, Usagi? What do you think of the opposite sex?"

The shorter woman did not reply immediately, a small frown crossing her brow and cynicism in her eyes. "Men are worthless," she said monotonously. Haruka's surprise showed on her face.

"Your bitterness, I admit, is somewhat shocking. You've always seemed so kind towards others—especially that one back there."

"I suppose they help continue the species," Usagi grumbled. Haruka chortled.

"That's something I would say."

"Damian helped me out, I got into a fight at the market. I decided it was the least I could do?"

"Right. You don't hate all of them, then."

"No, not hate. Not every single one, at least."

"You like that man?" Usagi shrugged. "Okay, name one male who has your respect." Again, Usagi took her time in responding. Blue eyes and fluffy blonde hair and a charming smile entered her mind, and her stomach turned over. _Luke, _she thought. He certainly had charmed her. But Usagi wanted to keep those thoughts to herself. There was another man whom she had respected. One she had loved so much.

"My father," she said confidently. "He was a good man."

"I've never heard you talk about your parents," Haruka mused.

"I don't, really. But neither do you."

"Fair enough."

By this time, the females had reached their transportation. Neither spoke as they mounted the animals and made their way back. But there was a pang in Usagi's heart the entire journey, thoughts centered on her father, and wondering how he was doing. How he was doing after his only child and wife had left him. Her mother's death couldn't have been helped, but Usagi didn't have to leave her father. But she had. And now, the woman would have to live with her decision.

Unable to shake the thoughts of her deceased mother and lonely father out of her mind, it was with a heavy heart that Usagi arrived back at the camp. Dismounting her horse (which was weird enough, her being so similar in the first place), a new and strange thought occurred to her. Usagi had hated men so much over the years for their deeds, but it had been a woman who had cursed the blonde. Was her anger misplaced? Doubts clouded her mind, remembering the female that had doomed Usagi to this fate.

She shook the thoughts away, and tenderly stroked the lovely horse next to her. The caramel snout was warm against her hand, and the beast's matching eyes were warm to her heart. "You're a sweet girl, aren't you?" Usagi whispered to the horse, petting its jaw with a soft smile.

"How the hell did you get that thing to like you?"

"Some things you're just not meant to know, Seiya." The addressed man stared at Usagi with a frown, leading her to believe he had previously tried to tame this beast and failed. She didn't really want him to ask about the trip, and since Seiya didn't bring it up, Usagi left it alone. Haruka didn't seem to feel like talking about it either, which was nice. Usagi wasn't sure how she felt about Seiya knowing about her interactions with the mystery man she had just met, as she didn't know how she felt about the interaction yet, herself.

Suddenly, the image of another man popped back into her head. One she hadn't seen in a very long time. Usagi didn't look much like him, taking after her mother. How was he doing? What was he doing? Usagi didn't know. A chill ran through her, only partly due to the autumn weather. She hoped she hadn't doomed her father to loneliness, because of many years his wife's death had haunted him—if it had ever stopped.

Drawn to the warmth of the fire just started, Usagi ignored Seiya's changing gaze of confusion and irritation over her strange, zombie-like behavior. She walked over to Taiki, who had taken a seat on a log next to his blazing orange creation. He shot her a smile, which she returned after a moment of shoving her father back out of her head.

"So, Usagi," Taiki said, "how was your trip?"

Usagi froze up for a second, before realizing that she wasn't obligated to reveal any unsavory details. Haruka glanced at Usagi from a ways back next to the horses, wondering what the younger female would say.

"It was okay, I suppose." Haruka continued tending to her Annabel, looking a little stiff. Usagi figured she was uncomfortable discussing the events, like herself.

"Did you find anything interesting?"

Usagi had to think about this for a moment. Product-wise, nothing had captured her fancy much. The situation with the mistreatment of horses had been of interest, but she wouldn't call it interesting. The fair man, had he been interesting? Certainly, he had. Damian had set free all those poor animals and saved Usagi from a nasty strike. But was Usagi interested in him, as a person?

"Not in particular," she responded, taking a seat on a log across the fire from her tall friend. Taiki nodded in reply, before attention was shifted to the gang's resident cook. Makoto entered the scene, eyeing the lethargic criminals before her and not finding what she wanted. Entering her trance again, Usagi did not participate in the conversation about food, and who would go out and get the main course of meat. Not that she had much of a say, right? Being an awkward addition, Usagi still didn't feel like she belonged completely to this group of comrades, especially since all attention was now off of her and she felt somewhat invisible. Regardless, there were a few members who were fond of her. She was reminded of this by a warm hand on her back, one belonging to the short-tempered Rei. The other woman took a seat next to the small blonde, and Usagi was grateful for both the company and the body heat.

"You seemed troubled," Rei murmured, explaining her actions. The feisty woman wasn't one for cuddling up next to a fire, after all. "Are you feeling well?"

Usagi noticed she rather liked having female company, being unused to company in general. It was comforting, more so than that of men. Perhaps it was because having a girl warm up to her that Usagi responded truthfully, as lies usually came so easily to her. Usagi especially appreciated Rei's discretion—the last thing she wanted was the debacle being found out. "I got into a bit of a fight," Usagi said quietly, words tumbling out of her mouth before she could censor them. "Also I met a man and he invited me to dinner." Rei held in a laugh.

"And you said it wasn't interesting?"

"It was... intense."

Rei smiled evilly. "Sounds sexy."

"You would say that," Usagi drawled.

"What can I say? I like them fiery." Usagi wasn't sure she believed this statement, as Rei's temper didn't tolerate being challenged. "So, are you going to go?" Usagi just shrugged. She wasn't too keen on being open to people in general, despite her recent lack of self-control in keeping her mouth shut. Men were not something she particularly wanted to discuss. The talk with Haruka was enough for a while.

"At least tell me what he looks like." Usagi huffed. "Oh come on, Usagi. Talk to me!" Usagi took a moment to respond, which she did grudgingly.

"He's tall, I guess. Light hair and eyes, fair skin." Usagi remembered his eyes. They'd been so cold, despite his good-samaritan acts. Another face with light hair and eyes popped back into her mind, and she wondered why he was in her thoughts so much today. Usagi wished she could see Luke and Allison again, to just see how they were doing. Them and so many other people.

"What's his name?" Rei prodded.

"Luke," Usagi said by mistake. She was about to correct herself, but was interrupted by a voice.

"Usagi, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Haruka," Usagi stated, acknowledging the third woman's presence, somewhat surprised. Her expression was serious, almost grave. It unnerved Usagi, but the blonde didn't let her nervousness show. Rei huffed, annoyed, before standing up and taking her leave. Haruka certainly got her way. The taller woman glanced around, and Usagi did the same to try and discover what was being searched out—but couldn't figure out what was being looked for. Haruka took Rei's place on the log, and leaned in close to Usagi. "Haruka, you're acting strange—"

"Usagi, you can't see that man," Haruka boldly stated. It was a firm command, however quietly whispered into her ear. Usagi drew back, looking at her friend skeptically. "I mean, I don't want you to," she amended, distilling some of Usagi's irritation from the previous, hostile demand.

The younger woman made a face at Haruka. "Why are you acting so weird?" Haruka made a noise in the back of her throat and looked around at the camp again.

"I'm not. Listen, that guy—I don't know how, but he's really familiar. I think I saw him a long time ago. I can't remember where or when, but I've definitely seen that face."

"Okay, so you know him," Usagi taunted. "So what? You have an extra friend."

"Usagi, stop messing around!" Haruka leaned in close again. "I thought about it a lot, until my head hurt. He's not a good person—I know it. Don't go and meet him."

"I don't know what you're talking about. He really helped me out." Haruka's frustration was growing, and Usagi became wary of putting her off.

"Good God, you're difficult," Haruka growled. "Before my anger gets the better of me, Seiya wanted you to have this." Haruka handed Usagi a small black pouch, and Usagi wondered where it had been kept on Haruka's person all this time. She took the object, looked at it for a moment, and then untied the string keeping the bag closed.

Inside were several handfuls of shining gold coins, which twinkled back at Usagi's wide eyes. Her jaw dropped a little, and she turned to look at her friend in astonishment. "Why?"

"It was a part of the heist. I guess he figured you went through more trouble that day then any of us did, and deserved a share of the loot."

"...Holy shit!"

"It's only a fraction, Usagi. Don't be too impressed. Now, back to this guy. What was his name again?"

Still staring at the gold, Usagi mumbled the name. She hadn't ever had this much money for herself. It was enough to get a home for herself, she thought. A real home. Something she'd wished to have for the longest time. If she could get more gold, then Usagi could start a new life for herself, without having to steal from others. She could find work somehow—

"Usagi, are you listening?" She hadn't been, and came out of her daze at the mention of her name. "I _said,_ I know his name. I swear I've heard it before."

"Well think about some more," Usagi snapped, wanting to be alone with her thoughts and tired of Haruka's prodding. She stood up and left Haruka, who watched her go with worry. The blonde instead chose to join Makoto, who looked like she could use more help making dinner. Though she felt guilt blowing her friend off, she really wasn't worried about Damian. Haruka was definitely wrong, and it was irritating. The older woman should mind her own business, Usagi thought, and leave her alone. The concern was nice, but unnecessary. All Usagi wanted to think about were the potaoes Makoto had given her to cut up. What to do about Haruka, Damian, and Seiya's gold were not things she needed to ponder.

Restless, frustrated, and worried, Haruka's eyes were on Usagi for the rest of the night.

- - -

October 8th, 1243

Usagi had avoided both Rei and Haruka all day. Rei's pestering to find out about Damian and Haruka's pestering to keep Usagi away from him was too stressful. She had spent most of the day talking to Taiki about the geography of the country, mainly the closest towns, and any gossip he'd picked up about notable figures in society. Years away from civilization had deprived Usagi of news and world events, and she found there was a lot going on she hadn't thought about.

The first thing Usagi had asked about was, of course, Princess Minako. Taiki had explained that the kind and queen of her land were still alive, but probably not for much longer. Minako had refused the hand of the prince her father had tried to set her up with, earning the bad opinion of many under her father's rule, and especially aggravating her father. Their arguments were public knowledge, and the fights weren't helping the king deal with a possible outbreak of war on his hands with a neighboring rival. In addition, much to Usagi's chagrin, Minako had apparently been raving about a friend of hers who had disappeared when they were children. Usagi's heart had skipped a beat at the news, but no mention of the "friend's" name had been made. Usagi was safe for now, she figured.

War wasn't only a problem in Minako's world, however. Toschton had been attacked by a gang of rebels convinced that the Toschton prince was a fluke, who had taken over the throne after their king's death six years ago. The conflict had been raging for almost two months now, and Usagi was afraid for her two friends in the city. Apparently it was a violent feud between the royal army and a growing amout of rebels. Usagi knew she would have to go there and find out what was going on. She didn't know Luke and Allison very well, but they had been her first friends after several lonely years.

After Haruka and others in the camp had gone out to get a protein dish for that night's dinner, Usagi decided to make her escape to the market early, before Haruka could bother her again. Plus, she didn't have anything to wear. She'd asked Makoto discreetly if she could borrow one of the horses, with a promise to bring it back in a few hours. Makoto suggested Evita, as she and Eros (who was out at the moment) didn't belong to anyone in particular. Evita was a pretty, chocolaty brown. An average size for a mare, Usagi mused that this horse was very similar to Usagi's other half in appearance. Save for the color, Evita was very similar. It gave Usagi a twisted sense of belonging, riding Evita. She was sweet and cooperative, taking Usagi where she needed to go without complaint. And so Usagi went with her friend to the market, hoping all the way that Haruka would get over the whole thing.

- - -

The sun had just began to set when Usagi had finished changing into her new outfit, inside of the small tent where she had purchased her current garment. The blonde had figured a nice dress would be ideal for a nice dinner, but she was a practical woman. With the gold Seiya had given her, Usagi purchased a more simple pink and yellow dress, as opposed to the over-priced, lavish gowns she had seen other ladies don. Usagi would probably never wear the dress again, and therefore decided to also pick up a nice pair of high-quality, fitting black pants, matching black boots meant for durability, and a loose white shirt that made her look like one of Seiya's gang. All of her belongings were stuffed in a burlap bag the merchant had given Usagi for her purchases. The dress wasn't royal or anything, but should be good enough for one dinner. How much money could Damian have, anyway? Usagi figured he couldn't be too rich, if he lived just outside this small city.

Apparently, she was wrong.

For when Usagi reached their meeting spot, Damian was waiting with a carriage for them. It came complete with two horses and a well-dressed driver. Her jaw wanted to drop at the sight of the vehicle, but Usagi was pretty good at keeping her composure intact. Still atop Evita, she approached. Her dinner host was dressed in a white suit with blue trim, matching his hair, eyes, and complexion. The chest had a blue design on it, of swirling lines. He greeted Usagi with a smile, and within a few minutes she had joined him alongside his carriage (having refused to leave Evita behind) and the horses took them away.

- - -

The whole thing had passed in a blur. Before she knew it, Usagi was changed into her new, less-formal outfit, and riding back to the camp. She had turned down the offer of a place to stay overnight, no matter how badly she wanted to sleep in a soft, lush bed. Damian's house had been gigantic, as had been the meal. He had cooks that had prepared the most delicious food she'd had in years. The conversation had been awkward, as neither of the two had seemed inclined to talk about themselves. Thus, there wasn't much content to what had been said, and Usagi didn't remember most of it.

She also didn't remember why she'd agreed to meet him again in a week. Not only would she physically not be able to, but Usagi wasn't particularly interested. But by the time she remembered these two things, he was gone back inside his house and she was a distance away from his house. She had also refused an escort back to the camp, as she couldn't let anyone find out where Seiya and his thieves were hiding out.

Usagi had just passed through the marketplace and entered the woods towards Seiya's camp when a figure on horseback approached. Before she could see who it was, they were identified by their voice.

"Damn it, Usagi! I _told_ you not to go—I looked all over for you!" A furious Haruka came up to her, and Usagi could make out her facial features in the moonlight. She was very angry.

"Did you seriously follow me?" fell out of Usagi's mouth, and she knew it wasn't the best thing to say.

"Of course I did, idiot! I left as soon as I got back and you weren't at the camp! Why did you go? I told you not to. What did you do? Where did you go—"

"Haruka, I'm fine. I didn't tell him anything about myself, or you, or anybody else. Nothing happened."

"Don't try that with me, Usagi. You're in serious trouble with me here. And where'd you get that outfit?"

"I bought it. I also got a dress—"

But the dress was gone. Usagi thought back and realized she had left it at Damian's place, the bag probably still sitting where she had left it. Maybe she would have to return, after all. Haruka ignored Usagi's little blip, and continued her tirade.

"What you did was stupid, Usagi. Let's go back now. Don't think you're going to do this again, either. Putting yourself in danger is stupid." Usagi sighed and looked up at the sky. The stars were covered up by clouds, but they were thin and Usagi could still make out the shape of the moon.

She could see its location, too.

Usagi inhaled sharply. The moon was right above her head. When had it gotten so late? She had planned to get back to the camp and make her farewells way before now—had dinner really been so long? The blonde cursed herself and tried not to panic. She had to make her leave now, there wasn't time to say goodbye to her friends. There had to be a way to make them not worry about her, she thought. But she had to get away from Haruka quickly.

"You're right, I'm sorry, it won't happen again." Taken aback by Usagi's apology, Haruka was silent. "Let's go to the tavern for a drink, Haruka."

"What—okay. I suppose we could do that...."

Usagi rode off, having passed the tavern recently on her way back to the camp. She slid off the horse and dashed inside. Haruka followed, irked by Usagi's rushed behavior. As soon as they entered the tavern, Usagi sat Haruka down at an empty table. It was full of people, and it was only luck that gave Usagi two empty chairs near to the entrance.

"Usagi, why are you—"

"Let me treat you, as an apology for my actions. What do you want? Oh, I'll just get you something. Sit here, I'll be right back."

Before Haruka could protest, Usagi had disappeared into the crowd. She pushed her way through to the bar, ignoring the complaints of other customers. After getting one of the bartenders' attention, she handed him a shining gold coin and tried to speak over the noise. He was short and scruffy, with a thick brown beard that covered a third of his face.

"Tell that woman," Usagi said with a point to Haruka, "that Usagi is okay, and sorry to have to leave. And give my friend her drink of choice, please."

"Lady, you can get a lot more than that with this pretty thing!" he yelled over the noise, and Usagi only shook her head.

"Just let me out the back, will you? There is another door out, right?"

"Sure there is, hun. Jus' follow me!."

The bartender made his way around the counter, and Usagi followed him hastily to the back of the tavern. As requested, the man led her to a door far from the entrance and Haruka's sight. "Oh, and can you please wait a minute or two until talking to that woman?"

"Whatever you want, lady." She thanked him, and dashed out the open doorway. It closed behind her, and Usagi broke out into a sprint.

But she didn't get far. Not ten seconds of running away from the tavern, Usagi heard her name being called from the side. She turned to see Damian running towards her, and had half a mind to just keep leaving. He was a wealthy sack of boring.

"Usagi! Hold on for a moment, there." She halted when she saw that he was carrying something: her bag. Both breathing deeply, Damian handed the bag to Usagi with a half-smile. She could see a dark horse just a little farther away, which he must have used to go after her. "Silly girl, you forgot this."

"Thank you," she breathed. "Well, I'll see you later." Usagi made to go around him, but he blocked her path.

"Don't go flying off again just yet," he said smoothly, tone unnerving the blonde girl in front of him. Damian was standing awfully close to her, and she didn't like it very much.

"I really am sorry, Damian, but I have to go—"

He interrupted her move to get away again by sidestepping in front of her for the second time, now placing a hand on her shoulder. They were even closer now, and it was making Usagi increasingly uncomfortable. "Why are you running away? It's like you were a bird trying to escape the winter frost."

_You have no idea, _she thought.

"But no, you wouldn't be one of those. You're too unique. You would be... a dove, I think. Beautiful and elegant, and so hard to find."

_What in the hell is he talking about? _"I'll... take that as a compliment. We can talk more later."

"Don't you soar off on me, dove. I wanted to talk to you. I feel like we parted rather abruptly."

"I'm sorry to be rude," Usagi ground out, "but I'm late meeting a friend. I really can't stay, you must understand." She was unable to try and dodge him a third time when his other hand descended upon her shoulder, locking her in place.

"My dear, I'm afraid you're just too intriguing to let go." Usagi was about to refute his statement, but her words were put on hold. Damian's hands found their place on the back of her neck and on her waist as he kissed her full on the mouth. It wasn't forceful, but it wasn't tender. It made her freeze. His hand held her in place as he pressed their lips together, despite the lack of response from the female. Damian's mouth was soft, but unyielding. It wasn't warm like she would have expected. Usagi let him kiss her for a moment, mainly because she was so stunned. It was when he attempted to coax her lips apart that she regained her senses, and drew back with a gasp. Surprised and somewhat insulted, Usagi stood there for a moment trying to compose herself.

Then it got cold. So, so cold. Terror gripped Usagi. There was Damian, there would soon be Haruka, and if _that _wasn't bad enough already—there would soon be a beast in her place.

Usagi bolted. It was the chill she could never escape. No matter how fast she ran, Usagi couldn't outrun the icy sensation. She got into the woods, out of sight. Usagi ripped off all of her clothes and shoved all her belongings into the bag, the cold overcoming her.

Then it was very bright, and the young woman vanished.

October 9th, 1243

Pushing the confusing thoughts of Damian out of her head, Usagi walked to the edge of the forest, from where she could just make out the tavern. The man was gone now, which she was thankful for. Usagi wasn't sure how she felt about his kiss, other than she didn't love it. It certainly hadn't been welcome or timely.

She waited there for a few minutes before her friend raced outside, shouting her name. Haruka pitched a fit when Usagi was nowhere to be found and both Evita and Annabel were still together, meaning Usagi hadn't taken one and gone back to camp. Usagi watched Haruka kick the fence both horses were tied to, and watched her bury her head in her hands. The guilt was unbearable, and Usagi had to turn away. Haruka was no doubt blaming herself for letting the small woman escape the group's care once again, though Usagi knew it wasn't her friend's fault. It was the fault of a greedy, jealous woman who was long gone.

Usagi leaned forward and picked up the bag, turning and twisting her head about to get it hanging from her neck, which was much stronger now. She couldn't leave her new clothes and money behind, after all. It was time to go back to the pond, to cut off her contact with humans for another month. Heavyhearted and alone, the white mare walked away from the village and into the night. She hated thinking about what would happen when Haruka returned by herself to the camp. Usagi just hoped they would forgive her.

-

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I love the word chortle. I want to write weird, weird books and make up words in them that people use in real life. Like arssassin—an arsonist assassin! Props to anyone with good enough taste to know who actually made that one up.

If you missed it, the URL for the image I had in mind for Usagi's dress is at the top. :) I was too lazy for descriptions.

Almost done with school, phew.

Is anyone else disappointed with Obama's puppy? I don't care if it was a gift, get something cute for the girls. That thing is NOT adorable. Pfft. Not even a puppy.

Ugh. Will someone else plz do my homework for me? I just want my degree and a job, already!


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